The saying 'It never rains but it pours' is truer than ever in Scotland

Public Release: 15-Sep-2015
The saying 'It never rains but it pours' is truer than ever in Scotland
Says new research into how our climate is changing
University of Warwick

New research at the University of Warwick with colleagues from the London School of Economics has identified changes in the shape of rainfall across Europe; changes in the amount of drizzle compared with downpours and everything in-between.

We have found that in many places in Scotland the rain on heavy rainfall days has increased by over 50%. However, in some places in the Highlands this rain has shifted from light rain days so overall it's not much wetter but when it does rain it is more intense. In other Scottish locations the change reflects an increase in the total amount of rain and snow overall. For all these areas of Scotland the old adage "It never rains but it pours" has become truer than ever.

"We have also found related results across Europe. In south west France it is drier with less rain on all types of rainy days but in Tuscany it is drier with heavy rainfall in particular being reduced."

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"This work demonstrates how the impacts of climate change are complicated and local. As a consequence it is likely that individuals will have different perspectives on anthropogenic climate change if their views are based mainly on personal experiences of weather rather than on the underlying fundamental science."

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