SHEFFIELD University experts have discovered that the intensity of wind storms around the British Isles has not increased due to global warming.
The research contradicts some climate model predictions by showing little sign of overall increased storminess since the mid-to-late 19th century.
The study, which is based on an analysis of newly-available barometer records, analysed the daily change in atmospheric pressure to give an estimate of wind and storminess changes across north west Europe since 1830.
The research revealed distinct natural variations in storminess since 1830, with spells of enhanced storminess around 1900 and the early-mid 1990s and a relatively quiet period from about 1930 to the early 1960s.
This suggests that large natural variability could be masking out any global warming-related trend in storminess.
The team used data from long-running meteorological stations in Denmark, the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland, Britain and Ireland.
Team leader Dr Edward Hanna said: "Our analysis of storm patterns has built on previous studies of historical storminess.
"These studies are typically more restricted in space and time and too often uncoordinated, which has made it difficult to draw reliable conclusions. This new analysis will aid further work to more reliably predict the future consequences of global warming," he added.
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