Climates of the British Isles commemorates the twenty-fifth anniversary of the founding of the internationally acclaimed Climatic Research Unit at the University of East Anglia. Written by present and recent members of the Unit, the sixteen chapters of this book distil much of the work and expertise for which the Climatic Research Unit in famous, presenting to the reader through the geographical lens of the British Isles an integrated synopsis of what we know about climate at the end of the twentieth century. This domain is deliberately wider than just the United Kingdom. Yet climate knows no boundaries other than those wrought by mountains and oceans and while climate change has become a political issue in recent years the climate system itself continues to function oblivious to political boundaries.
Climates of the British Isles combines the historical and geographical dimensions of climate to provide a more comprehensive account of the changing climate than has previously been attempted. The climates of past ages in this region are reconstructed, from the great Quaternary Ice Ages through to the Little Ice Age of the seventeenth century. A full description of the climate of the present century is provided, illustrated with a wealth of graphs, photographs and colour maps. Some important climate datasets are also listed. The book also addresses the prospects for climate change in the British Isles over the next hundred years and further into the future.