UK Storms of Winter 2013-4

The period December 2013 to February 2014 was marked in the UK by an unprecedented sequence of deep depressions that caused major damage and disruption. The first major storm in early December produced a tidal surge that was higher than the infamous 1953 surge in some places. This was succeeded in late December by a series of storms that caused both river flooding and coastal wave damage and led to the long term inundation of large areas of farmland. After a brief lull, a further series of storms in late January/early February produced further wind and wave damage and resulted in major floods on the River Thames as well as the onset of chronic groundwater flooding in some areas. The wide variety of environmental impacts provides strong support to the Met Office's plans for an integrated convective-scale Environmental Prediction System initially consisting of coupled atmosphere, land surface hydrology and coastal ocean components.