[A-List] Scorched earth: drenched Scotland

["Michael Keaney" <michael.keaney@xxxxxx>]

Outlook for Scotland: one wet century
HELEN MORGAN
The Herald, 16 December 2002

FORECASTERS have issued a severe weather warning for the next 100 years,
claiming that Scotland faces a century of torrential rain.

Meteorologists and environmentalists fear that the country's winters will be
dominated by heavy downpours.

Scientists claim climate changes over the Arctic are responsible for
steering huge ocean storms from far out to sea on to the west coast.

As a result, experts say, it will rain every day in the west and Aberdeen,
which is usually sheltered, will become wetter.

Andy Yeatman, from the Met Office, said Scotland already had the reputation
of being one of the wettest places in the UK.

He said: "Changes in climate mean that Scotland is getting wetter. Recent
flooding in parts of the country is definitely the sign of things to come.

"By 2080, we could have some increased rainfall over some parts of Scotland
of between 10-25%.

"The Western highlands of Scotland is already one of the wettest places in
the UK and looks set to get wetter.

"Winter and autum will see the majority of the rainfall, with the summer
season also getting wetter."

According to figures from the UK climate impacts report, it already rains
250 days a year in the west of Scotland and 175 in the east.

The east of the country, which is kept dry thanks to the shelter of the
Cairngorm and Grampian mountains, is to receive 25% more rain.

It will add an extra two inches to raise the average yearly rainfall to
eight inches.

The west is in for an extra 10%, nearly three inches, to swell its yearly
average to 27 inches.

A Met Office spokesman said temperatures would rise as well.

"Although it may be wet, future winters will be quite humid," he said.

"The weather will be unpredictable if anything. We can look forward to more
freak weather conditions.

"This will include prolonged heavy downpours and violent storms which will
become regular features of our weather patterns."

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency warned people to be prepared for
frequent flooding caused by river levels rising.

A spokeswoman said: "Over the two couple of years we have issued more severe
flood warnings than ever before.

"As the climate changes people are going to have to be more aware and more
prepared for heavy rainfall.

"The changes could mean people having to adapt to the wetter weather by
protecting their homes, or building houses in different ways with better
flood defences."

Richard Dixon, of World Wildlife Fund Scotland, said: "This is the effect of
global warning that we have been warning people about for years.

"If we do not start taking some action we are heading for climate chaos.

"We have a serious problem and, in 100 years, will have a climate
unrecognisable in Scotland."