The weather has certainly hit the news more frequently over the past months. The extreme weather with droughts and hosepipe bans in March followed by excessive and multiple flooding across the UK has left a lasting impression of 2012.

Our whole planet appears to be seeing a shift in weather patterns with more extremes in heat, cold, rain and wind. After a hot summer in Russia with the raging forest fires, Yakutsk in Eastern Russia has recently being seeing temperatures nearing extreme lows of -50°C, the coldest in decades. 2012 saw severe droughts in many places including the USA and a dry monsoon season in India. 2013 has started with rampaging bush fires in the exceptionally hot Australian summer and here in the UK the wet but very mild end to 2012 has been followed by snowfall across much of the country. However it falls, more wet weather is probably not what you have been hoping for.

Extraordinary weather seems to be becoming more of the norm and with many UK businesses and homes suffering badly from the floods of 2012 we have to prepare ourselves to handle the extreme weather for the future – protecting our environment and livelihoods. 2012 was the second wettest year on record for the UK. The question we don’t know the answer to, as yet, is whether this is a long-term change to our climate, but many seem to think so.

Sustainable drainage is important for managing the excessive rainfall we have been seeing. As we build for the future we have to plan to manage surface water without loss to business, keeping transport routes safe and protecting our homes. Here at ACO we want to help to make the best provision for this whatever the weather throws at us.

Read the full NY Times article by Sarah Lyall