Britain's Most Extreme Weather

Floods (1x3)

Air date: May 12, 2014

Should we be preparing for more flooding like in early 2014? This episode examines the scientific and historical evidence, as well as using personal testimony and smartphone and camera footage to tell the story of the floods. Alex discovers how dangerous it is to be caught in a flash flood and searches through the history books for great floods of the past to see if they can provide clues to future rainfall patterns and flooding. The programme looks at the extraordinary flooding in Manchester 1872, when coffins were exhumed by rain. In Worcester in 1770 flood levels reached 15 and a half metres: a record that stands to this day. With the Thames and the Severn bursting their banks in 2014's storms, is Britain any more prepared for flooding now than it was in the past? The programme reveals research demonstrating that floods tend to occur in groups called flood clusters. With the added complication of climate change, many scientists now believe we are heading towards a much wetter future with heavier rainfall.