Omega Blocks

[Timmytour]

For many many years of my life, long before I understood what one was, I've got it into my head that an  Omega block in the north Atlantic at the right time would bring the UK the holy grail of winters for those of us who love the snow, ice and cold like me.

I've recently learned, thanks to Nick F - that a Rex Block was one of the factors behind the recent flooding in Belgium and Germany .....

Europe floods July 2021: What caused them and why people were caught out

WWW.NETWEATHER.TV

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The impacts of the catastrophic flooding during the week across parts of western Germany, eastern Belgium and the Netherlands have been shocking to see. This blog looks at the causes.

Through the article I learned that Germany experienced similar bad flooding in 1910, which had me wondering whether the Rex block was a one in a hundred years thing.

And that set me dreaming about the Omega block, my long desired Christmas present!   I have no idea how often we get one, and I mean one that gives us the dream winter?  

And every weather phenomenom these days seem to come with a warning that, because of climate change, we're going to see a lot more of it.

Any chance climate change will give us more winter Omega blocks? 

 

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Rex blocks certainly aren’t a 1 in 100 year event, they happen quite frequently.

Omega blocks may become more common into the future, as current thinking suggests that climate change will drive a more blocked global circulation where patterns are slower moving, and therefore have bigger consequences. Longer heatwaves. Other areas locked into flooding wet patterns. Events that used to be classed as 1 in 50 or 1 in 100 years will end up being more like 1 in 10, perhaps.

[Timmytour]

I guess the positioning of the Rex Block was maybe a 1 in a 100 year event?