The Channel Islands saw the worst of the storm on Wednesday (1 November) night and the early hours of Thursday morning with the Jersey government saying wind speeds reached 164km/h.

The island of Portland in Dorset, which is only reachable by a narrow causeway, was cut off from the mainland and had to sound its flood alert siren for only the second time in nine years.

Scientists still have to properly study Storm Ciarán and the exact influence of climate change on these weather events isn’t known.

“Climate change is warming both our oceans and our atmosphere, providing more fuel for storms to form and intensify, resulting in heavier downpours,” says Ben Clarke, a researcher for World Weather Attribution at Imperial College London.

“If we continue to use fossil fuels at the same rate, we will pay ever growing costs as more frequent and intense storms impact the UK and Europe, and as dangerous weather becomes more common across the world.”

“Early warning systems need to be in place for such events and measures such as flood defences and improved drainage need to be implemented where required,” says Dr Lazenby.

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