Results from a multi-million pound research project, of which Bangor is a key player, will help understand the interactions between our oceans and atmosphere, improving extreme weather forecasting, and ultimately informing governments where to invest in flood defences and land change policies.
Extreme weather events, particularly winter storms, have occurred more and more often in the last decade. Across northern Europe and Asia, researchers have noticed that the harsher winters have coincided with extremely low sea ice coverage in the Arctic Barents and Kara Seas in the preceding summer.
The project is a collaboration between the National Oceanography Centre, UK Met Office and a network of scientists. Bangor’s key contribution evaluates the different ocean processes that set sea surface temperature and impact the sea ice in eastern Arctic.
The ocean’s role in climate and weather are vital and Bangor’s contribution is key to answering these questions.
