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Naming storms could save lives

Be it Doris, Hannah or Eleanor, the public are more likely to take action when a storm hits if it has a name, according to research led by Professor Andrew Charlton-Perez. The study, carried out with the Met Office and Open University, focused on Storm Doris, which crossed Ireland and the UK on 23 February 2017, causing significant damage and killing three people. Findings showed that it was discussed widely by the national press and on Twitter, leading to a change in public behaviour. There was around 14% less traffic during the morning rush hour than during an unnamed storm two years earlier in the same area, for which wind warnings were also issued. Afternoon rush-hour traffic peaked around an hour earlier, with around 20% less traffic on the motorways by the evening than in 2014. Read the . 

Better models to predict climate change

Computer models based on known physical laws are scientists’ primary tool for predicting climate change, yet even state-of-the-art ones produce a wide range of predictions.

A five-year European Research Council project led by Professor Ted Shepherd, , is aiming to get to the bottom of why this is the case, diagnosing sources of model error, understanding the link between this error and the spread in model projections and better understanding the chaotic variability of circulation patterns in the atmosphere.

Thames flood defences

Reading research is shaping long-term policy designed to protect more than £200 billion of assets in central London from flooding by the River Thames. Contributing to the Environment Agency’s TE2100 (Thames Estuary 2100) project, our academics found that predicted worst-case flood levels would be considerably lower than had previously been forecast.

The work helped TE2100 conclude that while a second Thames Barrier flood defence may be needed by 2070, it would not be required by 2030 when it would cost an estimated £10-20 billion. TE2100 was launched in recognition of the increasing exposure to flood loss and the recognised need to upgrade the Thames Barrier.

Dr Hawkins analysed the past 165 years of global average temperatures and created what Mashable described as ‘the most compelling climate change visualisation ever seen’. Dr Hawkins’ animated climate spiral was first published on his blog , then via Twitter, where it was picked up and discussed by leading commentators around the world. It went on to form an integral part of the opening ceremony of the Rio Olympics, where it was seen by a TV audience of more than a billion people.

The Climate Lab Book, a blog Dr Hawkins writes as part of his research activities, was already popular, thanks to its accessibility and engagement with scientists and members of the public, but its popularity grew exponentially thanks to the climate spiral. The animation has been seen 3.4 million times from Dr Hawkins’ tweet alone, with many millions more views via social media. Mainstream media were quick to discuss the graphic, while others who have used or mentioned the graphic include Elon Musk, Bernie Sanders and the artist Banksy. The US State Department translated the graphic into several different languages for its online webpages, and it has been used in high-profile conference presentations by senior policymakers, including the Australian Chief Scientist and the Chief Scientific Advisor 
for DEFRA.