Named Storms

Hot on the heels of Storm Isha comes Jocelyn, the season’s tenth named storm.

Previously, the UK record for the number of named storms in a single season (the storm season runs from September 1st to August the following year) was eleven in 2015/16. Storm Katie was the last of those, sweeping through at the end of March 2016. We are one short of that record with who knows how many months to go.

The main driver of Atlantic storms is the jet stream, a narrow system of strong winds around five to seven miles above Earth’s surface, blowing from west to east right around the planet. The speed and position of the jet stream are outcomes of the temperature differentials between the equator and the poles – with added complications, of course, because nothing about our climate is straightforward.

Since June of last year, the phenomenon known as El Niño has created a mass of hot air over the Pacific Ocean while a huge polar vortex has pushed subzero temperatures down over pretty much the whole of North America. The jet stream, following the boundary between these masses of hot and cold air, has been dragged south. Its effects on our weather have intensified and a procession of storms have swept in from the west and blown us inside out.

There were no named storms in the 2022/23 season until August 2023 brought us Antoni and Betty. It looks as thought this season is going to make up the shortfall though. Let’s hope that the reserve can make it through without too many losses.

Stay safe in these troubled times.

Header image: storm damage in the reserve 2022/23