Detecting changes in winter precipitation extremes and fluvial flood risk

There is a widely held perception that flood risk has increased across Europe during the last decade (EEA, 2005). Following extensive flash flooding in England, the Pitt Review (2008) concluded that: “The Summer 2007 floods cannot be attributed directly to climate change, but they do provide a clear indication of the scale and nature of the severe weather events we may experience as a result”. The review further asserted that, “timely decisions will allow organisations the flexibility to choose the most cost-effective measures, rather than being forced to act urgently and reactively. Early action will also avoid lock-in to long-lived assets such as buildings and infrastructure which are not resilient to the changing climate”..