Affect of Weather & Climate on River Processes (Edexcel GCSE Geography A)

Short-term Weather Impacts on River Processes

Storms and their impact on river processes

• Over recent years, storm frequency has increased in the UK 

  • Between 2010 and 2014 there were 10 major storms

  • Between 2015 and 2020 there were 42 major storms 

• Storms result in high rainfall levels

  • This increases the amount of water in the rivers 

  • Leading to increased risk of flooding

  • Storms in February 2022 led to significant flooding along the River Ouse and River Severn

Drought and its impact on river processes

• Periods of hot, dry weather are increasingly common in the UK

  • This dries out the soil and bakes the surface, making it impermeable

  • Any rain which falls after a hot, dry period cannot infiltrate the baked soil

  • This increases surface run-off and river discharge

Long-term Climate Impacts on River Processes & Landscape

• The UK has a temperate climate, but there is wide variation across the country, which means:

  • Some areas, such as the north and west, experience more rainfall

  • The south and east have lower rainfall than average

  • Scotland and the north experience colder temperatures

  • The south experiences higher temperatures

• In areas where rainfall levels are higher, there will be:

  • Higher discharge levels, which lead to:

    • More erosion and wider and deeper river channels

    • More transportation of bedload

• Areas of the UK that experience lower than average rainfall will have:

  • Lower discharge levels, which lead to:

    • Less erosion and more deposition

    • Less transportation of bedload

• Freeze-thaw weathering will be greater in colder areas, such as Scotland

• In areas with higher temperatures, there will be more evaporation, which leads to:

  • Lower discharge levels 

  • Less erosion and more deposition