European rainfall could decline by 20 per cent

Summer rainfall in northern Europe is likely to decline by between 5 and 20 per cent by the end of this century, scientists have said.

The prediction by the Meteorological Office’s Hadley Centre is the first to give a precise range of predicted rainfall which is expected to be used by insurance companies and flood defence experts.

Though summers are expected to be drier, as a result of climate change, what rainfall does occur is expected to be heavier.