According to https://www.carbonbrief.org winter rainfall has increased by 14% in 1991-2020 compared to 1961-90, and the Metropolitan office recorded 114.1mm of rainfall in September alone, leaving some people wondering what is the reason for the rise in severe weather conditions across the UK? How is it affecting me?

One example of this shocking rise in rainfall includes the 21st of September, Penn Road, Wolverhampton experienced intense flooding, leaving the road closed at certain points for several hours, leaving busses stranded and people unable to continue commuting.

Multiple people from the local community worked tirelessly to replace Manhole covers that had come off due to the extreme water pressure flowing through the drain systems, suggesting that England’s infrastructure is unsuitable for dealing with the rise in rainfall, but also highlighting the sense of community found in Penn, Wolverhampton.

One individual stated that: “It’s all due to global warming,” a point that many people have begun to agree with.


5 Local Men fix drains broken due to flooding. Image: C Weatherill5 Local Men fix drains broken due to flooding. Image: C Weatherill As Global warming increases, so will rainfall, leaving more areas vulnerable to the effects of more intense weather conditions. The Metropolitan office records that due to the 1.2°c of Global warming, storms with high rainfall such as those seen in the 2023-2024 storm period now have an estimated return period of 1 in 5 years compared to the estimated 1 in 50 in the pre-industrial climate.

These severe weather outbreaks are leaving England's infrastructure unable to cope, manholes coming off, drains overflowing and roads and houses flooding from the heavy rainfall, leaving people wondering if there should be more precautions in place to protect our local communities. Many people don't realise that without action, everything can only get worse, leaving younger generations helpless to choose their own future for the planet.

Overall, as sea levels continue to rise and the weather becomes increasingly more unpredictable, more people than ever are seeing the true effects of global warming, underlining the need for us as a collective to do our part to minimize climate change and call for increased investment into preparing our country for the unpredictable weather that is becoming our new normal.