Unsettled weather: Are summer storms worse than in winter?

In the theme of our recent windy weather, we'd take a look at why summer storms seem to be worse than winter ones.

Though it may seem that our summer storms are worse than the ones we see in autumn or winter, that may not necessarily be true.

While the winds are generally lighter on average in comparison, there is some truth in that they feel worse, and that's because they are more impactful in the summer months.

This is for a variety of reasons, but the key one being that trees are in full leaf. So instead of wind having a throughflow through bare branches, the leaves act like a wind sail and produce resistance, making trees far more likely to come down.

Also, it's no coincidence that more people like to be outside in the warmer months, with more outdoor activities such as camping, or walking your dog in the fields. With more people outdoors, there are more people vulnerable to the elements.

In terms of rain, we also get more potent thunderstorms in the summer months. This is due to the greater solar radiation and more intense heating, triggering big cumulonimbus clouds to develop.

These summer storm clouds are known for delivering high amounts of rainfall in short periods of time. This could also then lead to flash flooding, as the rain cannot permeate through the drier soil.