More on highest tidal surge since 1953 and December outlook
Paul Hudson
TIDAL SURGE
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The tidal surge which affected the east coast last week was the biggest since the historic coastal flood of January 1953 according to the Environment Agency.
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In 1953 hundreds of people lost their lives. In Lincolnshire the sea came inland by 3 miles in the area around Sutton on Sea and Mablethorpe.
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There is little doubt that the flood defences developed and built since the 1953 flood prevented a national emergency on Thursday night.
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The Environment Agency says that flood defences now in place protected 800,000 properties along our coastline.
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In Hull, the tidal barrier constructed in 1980 stopped the tidal surge听which would otherwise have flooded 18,000 homes.
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At its peak, the sea level recorded at the barrier measured 5.8m 鈥� the highest on record 鈥� and only 20cms from its top
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Spurn Head has been badly damaged. According to the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust the entire dune system has been moved 70 yards to the west, which, according to them, is a staggering 200 years of movement in 24 hours.
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DECEMBER OUTLOOK
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There鈥檚 now a strong signal that high pressure over the continent will decline, allowing low pressure from the Atlantic to dominate the UK鈥檚 weather later this week, lasting at least into the Christmas period.
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This means we can expect periods of wind and rain, interspersed with brighter, showery conditions throughout the next two weeks.
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There is no signal at all for any proper cold spell, although it is perfectly normal, especially later in December, for the air coming in from the west to be cold enough to allow some wintry precipitation - for example in showers following a cold front - mainly over the hills in northern Britain.
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