The day a 'once-in-20,000-year' rainfall hit London, UK
On Aug. 14, 1975, London, England's reputation of having a dreary climate with little rain was put aside after a once-in-a-20,000-year flooding event left one person dead and hundreds without homes.
London, England was hit by a once-in-a-20,000-year flooding event.
London, England, is usually known for its long periods of overcast skies, light precipitation and cool temperatures, thanks to the city's climate being shaped by the onshore flow of the Atlantic Ocean. However, this particular August day was extremely wet and damaging.
On Aug. 14, 1975, London’s weather was a stark contrast to that reputation. Temperatures reached 30°C that afternoon, accompanied by an impactful storm that produced so much rain within three hours that it was considered a once-in-20,000-year event. The resulting floods left one person dead and 250 homeless.
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On today’s podcast (linked aboved), Chris Mei explains why the storm moved so slowly, how much rain actually fell and how meteorologists came up with the summation for the event.
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