US winter storms will reach Europe
The polar vortex in the US and four separate weather winter events during the month of November are likely to be a precursor to increased winter storm activity in Europe.
This is according to Impact Forecasting, the catastrophe model development center at Aon Benfield, which has released the latest edition of its monthly Global Catastrophe Recap report.
The polar vortex phenomenon engulfed much of the US, with all 50 states reporting that at least one of their weather stations had recorded temperatures at or below 32ºF (0ºC). A later storm system affected 20 million people and disrupted travel around the Thanksgiving holiday.
A total of 29 people were killed as a result of the events, and with damage assessments still pending, aggregate economic losses were expected to reach into the hundreds of millions.
Adam Podlaha, head of Impact Forecasting, said: “An active winter season in North America is often a precursor to increased winter storm activity in Europe, as North America can be the point of origin for many winter events. To help our clients analyse potential risks associated with the windstorm peril in Europe, Impact Forecasting has developed a catastrophe model to assist them to better prepare for future events.
“European windstorms have led to an average $2.6 billion in annual insured losses during the past ten years, and given that they caused more than $3.1 billion in insured losses in 2013, it is important that our clients have access to a dependable model to better mitigate losses and forecast future scenarios.”
