Defining Extreme Weather

About the lecture

In this module, we think about how extreme weather is defined and measured. We focus on: (i) the distinction between weather (the state of the atmosphere at a given time) and climate (the longer term statistical patterns of the weather); (ii) how weather events are defined as “extreme”, primarily through thresholds set by two factors - rarity and impact; (iii) some of the key variables which determine the characteristics of the weather, including air temperature, precipitation, and wind speed.

About the lecturer

Dr Tom Matthews is a Senior Lecturer in Environmental Geography at King’s College London. His research focuses on the physical drivers of extreme weather, particularly tropical cyclones and heat events, and the impacts of global warming on meteorological processes.