The flood occurred during the wettest winter period since 1910. Twelve major storms between December 2013 and February 2014, driven across the Atlantic by a strong jet stream (high level winds)
Strong tidal surges swept seawater into the river systems and prevented water from the land escaping to the sea - led to flooding of the River Tone and the River Parrett
Tidal surges deposited huge amount of silt into river channels, reducing their capacity to hold water
The land is extremely flat and low-lying, making it vulnerable to flooding
highest elevation = 8m above sea level
High tides, prolonged rainfall, and storm surges contributed to the flood
The land was saturated from prolonged rainfall - the ground was already full of absorbed water - can't absorb more - water builds up
How much rain fell in January and February, and how high above average rainfall was this?
