Research from the Met Office has shed new light on a link
between decadal solar variability and winter climate in the UK,
northern Europe and parts of America. The study, carried out
with Imperial College London and the University of Oxford, shows
that low UV output from the sun can contribute to cold winters
over parts of the northern hemisphere , such as recently seen in
the UK. Years of higher UV have the opposite effect. Adam
Scaife, one of the scientists involved in the research, said
that while some studies have observed a link between solar
variability and winter climate, our research establishes this as
more than just coincidence He said: "We've been able to
reproduce a consistent climate pattern, confirm how it works,
and quantify it using a computer model based on the laws of
physics. This isn't the sole driver of winter climate over our
region, but it is a significant factor and understanding it is
important for seasonal to decadal forecasting." New data from
sensitive satellite equipment shows UV