0:00:12 > 0:00:15Hello and welcome to The Great British Weather.
0:00:15 > 0:00:18In this series, we've been exploring what makes our weather so unique.
0:00:18 > 0:00:21We all obsess and constantly talk about it,
0:00:21 > 0:00:24sometimes we complain about it, but there's plenty to love about it, too.
0:00:24 > 0:00:28There certainly is. One thing's for sure - British weather is never boring.
0:00:28 > 0:00:32In this special highlights show, we're going to reveal some of the more surprising aspects
0:00:32 > 0:00:36of our weather, as well as celebrating its variety and splendour.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39- On tonight's show... - Let the battle commence.
0:00:39 > 0:00:43We reveal the battle going on above our heads.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46And when it does get hot, it's a national crisis.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48The heat is still on in parts of Britain,
0:00:48 > 0:00:51with temperatures soaring to 32 degrees in some places.
0:00:51 > 0:00:54I join the mile-high cloud club in a quest to weigh a cloud.
0:00:54 > 0:00:58It's a fabulous view but it does make you feel a wee bit dizzy.
0:00:58 > 0:01:01We discover how the weather helped us win the Second World War.
0:01:01 > 0:01:04An irrevocable decision had to be made.
0:01:04 > 0:01:09And Strictly's Craig Revel Horwood tangos his way through the history of tanning.
0:01:09 > 0:01:13Now, something we've come back to time and again in this series
0:01:13 > 0:01:16is just how changeable our Great British weather is.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19You just never know what's going to happen next.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22'Welcome to summer 2007.'
0:01:25 > 0:01:29- 'This is flooding on a scale no-one here can remember.- The rainfall of a month in just one day.
0:01:29 > 0:01:34'The rain keeps coming and so will the renewed threat of flooding.'
0:01:34 > 0:01:38'Today has officially been the hottest day of the year so far.'
0:01:38 > 0:01:44'Brollies are being used as parasols. And even the indoor attractions are happy.'
0:01:44 > 0:01:47'The snowfall here was the worst for 25 years.'
0:01:47 > 0:01:49Schools shut, we've had hundreds of lorries stuck on the roads.
0:01:49 > 0:01:55Forecasters tell us what things will get worse here before they get better.
0:01:55 > 0:01:59Our unique weather is all to do with our position on the planet.
0:01:59 > 0:02:02The whole of the United Kingdom just happens to be
0:02:02 > 0:02:06slap-bang under the place where four colossal air masses meet.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10An air mass is an enormous lump of our atmosphere.
0:02:10 > 0:02:14At the surface it's the same temperature and the same humidity
0:02:14 > 0:02:16over thousands of square miles.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19When different air masses meet they fight for supremacy,
0:02:19 > 0:02:22and the one that wins dictates our weather.
0:02:22 > 0:02:24Ladies and gentlemen...
0:02:24 > 0:02:25Argh!
0:02:25 > 0:02:27Let the battle commence!
0:02:29 > 0:02:34Imagine, if you will, that these guys are what the weather boffins call the Polar Air Mass,
0:02:34 > 0:02:38invading our skies from the north, bringing freezing Arctic air,
0:02:38 > 0:02:41sending temperatures plummeting across the UK.
0:02:41 > 0:02:44But, before you've had the chance to put the heating on,
0:02:44 > 0:02:48here comes the Tropical Air Mass, blazing a trail from the south,
0:02:48 > 0:02:52delivering warm air from places such as North Africa and the Med.
0:02:52 > 0:02:55And when they clash, we get a weather front.
0:02:58 > 0:03:00There are a lot of places in the world
0:03:00 > 0:03:05that sit under where the Tropical Air Mass and the Polar Air Mass meet,
0:03:05 > 0:03:12but the UK is extra-special because it also sits between a large ocean, the Atlantic, to the west,
0:03:12 > 0:03:15and a large landmass, Europe and Asia, to the east.
0:03:17 > 0:03:22And that makes our weather even more chaotic and a bit more angry.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25The Maritime Air Mass, these chaps in the blue T-shirts,
0:03:25 > 0:03:29sucks up billions of litres of moisture from the Atlantic Ocean
0:03:29 > 0:03:34then travels east to dump torrential rain on our barbecues.
0:03:34 > 0:03:38Finally, to the rescue comes the Continental Air Mass,
0:03:38 > 0:03:42cruising across the dry land of Europe and Asia, ready to go to war
0:03:42 > 0:03:46with the cold, wet front, in a bid to give us a warm, sunny day.
0:03:49 > 0:03:52But that is not the whole story because you've yet to meet
0:03:52 > 0:03:56the Big Daddy of British weather...
0:03:56 > 0:03:57the Jet Stream.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00And that can overpower all of those guys.
0:04:00 > 0:04:07It's a monumental wind that can fly across the sky at 250mph.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10- ALL:- Argh!
0:04:10 > 0:04:14Powerful and determined, if the Jet Stream heads north,
0:04:14 > 0:04:17it blocks the Polar and Maritime air masses.
0:04:17 > 0:04:21And it's party time for the Tropical and Continental air masses,
0:04:21 > 0:04:24now free to smother us in warmth and sunshine.
0:04:24 > 0:04:26Well, thanks to the Jet Stream,
0:04:26 > 0:04:30we enjoyed the hottest summer on record back in 2006.
0:04:30 > 0:04:36We had 18 weeks of uninterrupted sun. Even Northern Ireland and Scotland had a decent summer.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39'But, as you'd expect, it's not always good news.
0:04:39 > 0:04:43'If the Jet Stream decides to head south, pushing back the warm
0:04:43 > 0:04:49'dry front, we're in for more familiar wet and chilly conditions.'
0:04:49 > 0:04:52And that, in a nutshell, is why we have our British weather.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55It's unpredictable, it's crazy, it's bonkers.
0:04:55 > 0:04:56But it's ours.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59And deep down, secretly, we love it.
0:04:59 > 0:05:01THUNDER CLAPS
0:05:01 > 0:05:06- That was a real rainbow, wasn't it? - Of course it was! Everything's real on this programme.
0:05:06 > 0:05:09I have to say, we had every aspect of British weather that day
0:05:09 > 0:05:11except a bit of snow.
0:05:11 > 0:05:15We had strong winds, rain, more rain and then a bit of bright sunshine.
0:05:15 > 0:05:19I had so much trouble with my Jet Stream. They got locked in the pub and wouldn't come out.
0:05:19 > 0:05:24- How did you get them back? - More pints offered and more crisps. Thanks very much for your efforts.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27Brilliant. It wasn't just a real rainbow, it was also real rain.
0:05:27 > 0:05:31Something we get more than our fair share of in the UK is the wet stuff.
0:05:33 > 0:05:37'Rain, rain, rain -
0:05:37 > 0:05:42us Brits endure it on 199 days of every year.
0:05:42 > 0:05:45'That's four sodden days a week.
0:05:45 > 0:05:49'It just doesn't seem fair, so I've come to the Lake District
0:05:49 > 0:05:53'to find out why the Great British weather is amongst the wettest in Europe.'
0:05:54 > 0:05:58This is the ideal vantage point to understand our weather.
0:05:58 > 0:06:03We're nearly 1,000 feet up in one of Britain's rainiest regions.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06Over there is the Irish Sea, and beyond, the Atlantic Ocean.
0:06:06 > 0:06:10And that's where all our rain comes from.
0:06:10 > 0:06:18'Incredibly, much of the rain which ruins our summers began life 4,000 miles away in the Atlantic.
0:06:18 > 0:06:20'Air collects moisture from the ocean which, in turn,
0:06:20 > 0:06:24'forms weather systems which bring rain to the UK.'
0:06:24 > 0:06:27Warm, damp air travels thousands of miles across the ocean
0:06:27 > 0:06:29and it hits our hills.
0:06:29 > 0:06:34And as the air is forced up, it cools down, forming clouds.
0:06:34 > 0:06:38'Clouds are born when invisible water vapour in the atmosphere
0:06:38 > 0:06:43'condenses into tiny droplets which then fall to the earth as rain.
0:06:43 > 0:06:49'And it's this rain that forms these mountain streams which then feed the glorious lakes.'
0:06:49 > 0:06:53The ancient Greeks had a theory that all of our rivers and lakes
0:06:53 > 0:06:56were fed by vast underground seas.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59And when you see all this water - oh, that's fresh! -
0:06:59 > 0:07:02you can't really blame them.
0:07:02 > 0:07:08But, in truth, every drop of our fresh water comes from the oceans.
0:07:08 > 0:07:12It's sucked up into the atmosphere, it then forms into clouds and then
0:07:12 > 0:07:17returns to earth in the form of rain, millions upon millions of tons of it.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20It's a never-ending cycle.
0:07:20 > 0:07:24'And, as it invades our shores from the Atlantic,
0:07:24 > 0:07:26'it's the west of Great Britain that bears the brunt.
0:07:26 > 0:07:30'Each one of these tubes shows how much rain falls
0:07:30 > 0:07:33'on a particular square inch in certain parts of Britain
0:07:33 > 0:07:35'in an average year, starting with London.'
0:07:38 > 0:07:39That's 21.
0:07:39 > 0:07:43This is Glasgow, gets a little bit more, but this is the wettest city
0:07:43 > 0:07:45in the UK. Guess which one it is.
0:07:45 > 0:07:47It is, in fact, Swansea.
0:07:47 > 0:07:50It's all pretty pathetic compared to the Lake District,
0:07:50 > 0:07:54which gets a whopping 79 inches a year.
0:07:54 > 0:07:58Remember, tbat's per square inch. If you multiply that by the area of the Lake District,
0:07:58 > 0:08:02Swansea, Glasgow and London...
0:08:02 > 0:08:04Well, basically, it's a lot of rain.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08'Just a few miles from the sea and made up of high peaks
0:08:08 > 0:08:12'and deep valleys, the Lake District doesn't stand a chance.'
0:08:12 > 0:08:16You're almost guaranteed a soaking in the Lake District.
0:08:16 > 0:08:21It rains here, on average, 211 days a year.
0:08:21 > 0:08:25And below the cliffs of Scafell Pike, the highest peak in England,
0:08:25 > 0:08:28is a little village which has the dubious honour of being
0:08:28 > 0:08:31Britain's wettest inhabited place.
0:08:31 > 0:08:34'Seathwaite in Cumbria is home to the Pratt family,
0:08:34 > 0:08:38'inhabitants of Raingauge Cottage at the edge of the village,
0:08:38 > 0:08:42'probably the wettest house in England.'
0:08:42 > 0:08:46Where and when did you find out that you lived in the wettest part of England?
0:08:46 > 0:08:50We've always known, but I was sat in geography the other day,
0:08:50 > 0:08:52just reading through a textbook when I was bored
0:08:52 > 0:08:56and looking in it at the hottest place and the wettest place.
0:08:56 > 0:08:59- I was like, "That's me! I'm there." - Did you feel proud?
0:08:59 > 0:09:01I felt really proud, I felt so proud of myself.
0:09:01 > 0:09:05Why is it here that it's so wet?
0:09:05 > 0:09:09The fells draw the clouds down and then you get the different
0:09:09 > 0:09:12change in temperature and you get rain, lots of it.
0:09:12 > 0:09:15What's the worst period of rain you've ever had?
0:09:15 > 0:09:17Probably the floods in 2009, I think.
0:09:19 > 0:09:21'This is flooding on a scale no-one here can remember,
0:09:21 > 0:09:23'few could have imagined.'
0:09:23 > 0:09:28'Everyone in Cumbria remembers the floods of November 2009.'
0:09:28 > 0:09:31I just remember it being rain for about 48 hours,
0:09:31 > 0:09:34torrential raining and not ever stopping, seeming relentless.
0:09:34 > 0:09:38'For three days, heavy rain fell on already saturated ground,
0:09:38 > 0:09:42'causing many of the county's rivers to break through flood defences.'
0:09:42 > 0:09:47We managed to keep it out of the house, just, didn't we? But the road was hugely flooded.
0:09:47 > 0:09:53'On 20th November, Seathwaite alone was pounded by 2.4 inches of rain
0:09:53 > 0:09:56'in just 24 hours, an unwelcome national record.'
0:09:56 > 0:09:58We're OK as long as we're here.
0:09:58 > 0:10:00If we're here we can protect the house,
0:10:00 > 0:10:03but if we're not, then usually we can't get home.
0:10:03 > 0:10:11'When the water came last night, it was with such speed, such force, that nothing could stop it.'
0:10:11 > 0:10:15'In Cockermouth, 30 miles north, water levels in the town reached 2.5 metres.'
0:10:15 > 0:10:19That is the river at the moment. The main street is the river.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24'As the emergency services struggled to rescue 500 people,
0:10:24 > 0:10:27'PC Bill Barker tragically lost his life
0:10:27 > 0:10:32'when the bridge he was warning motorists not to cross was swept away.'
0:10:32 > 0:10:35- Have you ever seen anything like these floods?- Never.
0:10:35 > 0:10:40'It was described by the Environment Agency as a once in 1,000-year weather event.'
0:10:40 > 0:10:44'There have been reassurances the worst of the weather has passed.'
0:10:44 > 0:10:48'But just four days ago, half the average rainfall for July
0:10:48 > 0:10:52'fell on parts of Cumbria in only 24 hours,
0:10:52 > 0:10:58'proving yet again that the power of the Great British weather should never be underestimated.'
0:10:58 > 0:11:03This summer has been a bit of a disappointment weather-wise for most of us,
0:11:03 > 0:11:06but what if a heat wave was just around the corner?
0:11:06 > 0:11:10Imagine, if you will, a long, hot, sizzling summer.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14The heat is still on in parts of Britain
0:11:14 > 0:11:17with temperatures soaring to 32 degrees in some places.
0:11:17 > 0:11:20'In Central London, it has been officially a scorcher.'
0:11:20 > 0:11:26- People have been enjoying... - 'The great British Summer bathes us in 362 more hours
0:11:26 > 0:11:32'of glorious sunshine throughout June, July and August than in the chilly winter months.'
0:11:32 > 0:11:35'The temperature started high - 20 degrees at 6am.'
0:11:35 > 0:11:38'Hottest of all is the South Coast,
0:11:38 > 0:11:43'where Eastbourne holds the record for the UK's sunniest summer month.
0:11:43 > 0:11:49'It still battles annually with Bognor Regis for the title of sunniest spot in the UK.
0:11:49 > 0:11:53'But no matter where we live, us Brits always cry out for more.'
0:11:53 > 0:11:56We don't always have a soggy summer.
0:11:56 > 0:12:00Sometimes, the sun arrives in the British sky and stays here for weeks.
0:12:00 > 0:12:05It refuses to budge as Britain bakes. That means only one thing.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08We are having a hot, hot heat wave.
0:12:09 > 0:12:12'To get the heatwave we say we crave,
0:12:12 > 0:12:17'the Met Office definition demands at least two consecutive days of high temperatures.
0:12:17 > 0:12:21'For London, this would mean 32 degrees Celsius or above,
0:12:21 > 0:12:25'or for northern cities like Newcastle, 28 degrees or above.'
0:12:25 > 0:12:29Britain is in the grip of one of the longest heat waves for years.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32'Our last severe heatwave was in 2003.'
0:12:32 > 0:12:35'For once the brollies are being used as parasols.'
0:12:35 > 0:12:39'It featured the UK's highest recorded temperature.'
0:12:39 > 0:12:42'A health warning is in place in the Midlands and Southeast.'
0:12:42 > 0:12:49'On 10th August, it reached a record-breaking 38.5 degrees Celsius in Faversham in Kent.'
0:12:50 > 0:12:54'This long swathe of brown land is why there are fears of a drought.'
0:12:54 > 0:12:58'But whilst it was the hottest, 27 years previously,
0:12:58 > 0:13:03'the nation was gripped by a heat wave that was more sustained and far more serious.
0:13:05 > 0:13:09'Britain had experienced its driest 18 months on record.
0:13:09 > 0:13:13'Reservoirs were empty and the ground was parched.
0:13:16 > 0:13:22'On 26th June, a temperature of 35 degrees Celsius was recorded in the UK
0:13:22 > 0:13:25'for the first time in the 20th century.
0:13:25 > 0:13:30'Roy Hattersley and his Government colleagues were starting to get concerned.'
0:13:30 > 0:13:34I think we began to realise it was a problem, gradually.
0:13:34 > 0:13:38You get to a point where you realise even a week of heavy rain isn't going to solve it.
0:13:38 > 0:13:42So by the time of the summer recess in Parliament, we were getting worried indeed.
0:13:42 > 0:13:48'Throughout the first week of July, temperatures at night never dipped below 20 Celsius.
0:13:51 > 0:13:55'Forest fires erupted across the UK.'
0:13:55 > 0:13:59- How many hours sleep on average in 24 have you got?- 13 in one week.
0:13:59 > 0:14:01In seven days, I've had 13 hours' sleep.
0:14:01 > 0:14:05'And there wasn't enough water to put them out.'
0:14:05 > 0:14:11Thousands of gallons of sewage have been used on one fire to help conserve dwindling water supplies.
0:14:11 > 0:14:16'A massive area of high pressure sat over most of the UK for another three weeks.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19'The Government had to act.
0:14:19 > 0:14:23'On 5th August 1976, they passed the Drought Act.'
0:14:23 > 0:14:25SHOUTING
0:14:26 > 0:14:31The demonstrators weren't impressed. They called for the resignation of water officials.
0:14:33 > 0:14:36Every area is short of water.
0:14:36 > 0:14:40'They even appointed a special minister to handle the crisis - Denis Howell.'
0:14:40 > 0:14:42Drought enquiry office.
0:14:42 > 0:14:46Denis Howell took to the drought, how shall I put it, like a duck to water.
0:14:46 > 0:14:52He loved the idea of going around the country telling people they had to stop wasting water.
0:14:52 > 0:14:54'Howell encouraged us to share baths,
0:14:54 > 0:14:56'put a brick in our toilet cistern
0:14:56 > 0:15:00'and cut supplies to thousands of homes.'
0:15:00 > 0:15:04'Basically, the pressure will be reduced so that the water will reach the standpipe,
0:15:04 > 0:15:06'but not individual houses.'
0:15:06 > 0:15:10'The strict emergency measures were in place for three long weeks
0:15:10 > 0:15:13'until one of the most complained about aspects of our Great British weather
0:15:13 > 0:15:16'actually came to our rescue.'
0:15:16 > 0:15:18THUNDER
0:15:18 > 0:15:21'During the August bank holiday, it rained.'
0:15:21 > 0:15:24And Denis Howell took most of the credit for the rain.
0:15:24 > 0:15:28He spent days being photographed under an umbrella, looking up at the clouds.
0:15:28 > 0:15:30'The downpour continued for ten days straight.'
0:15:30 > 0:15:33Suddenly, instead of being minister for drought,
0:15:33 > 0:15:37he became the rainmaker and, somehow, he became a hero.
0:15:37 > 0:15:40For a moment, it seemed the Government itself, rather than nature,
0:15:40 > 0:15:41had solved the problem.
0:15:45 > 0:15:50'The heatwave of 1976 destroyed thousands of acres of forest,
0:15:50 > 0:15:57'ruined £500 million worth of crops and sent food prices soaring.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00'So the next time you're longing for a hot summer,
0:16:00 > 0:16:02'be careful what you wish for.'
0:16:05 > 0:16:10We still find very high heat or extreme lows very difficult to deal with.
0:16:10 > 0:16:15But throughout history, our ever-changing weather has been the mother of invention.
0:16:16 > 0:16:22Woo-hoo! It's invisible. It can be really powerful,
0:16:22 > 0:16:25and, on its day, really impressive. What am I talking about?
0:16:25 > 0:16:29I'm talking about the wind, and if you get the right day, you can fly a kite!
0:16:29 > 0:16:33- BRAKES SCREECHING - But not today. Not a breath of wind. Thanks, Catherine.
0:16:33 > 0:16:37But don't worry, it's going to get a lot breezier later on.
0:16:39 > 0:16:43'Wind was the driving force behind the growth of the British Empire
0:16:43 > 0:16:46'and the success of our Navy.
0:16:46 > 0:16:50'So perhaps it's not surprising that it was a British naval officer, Admiral Francis Beaufort,
0:16:50 > 0:16:55'who came up with a way of measuring it back in the 1800s.
0:16:55 > 0:16:58'He devised a 13-tiered scale of wind strength,
0:16:58 > 0:17:04'ranging from force zero, no wind, to force 12, hurricane.
0:17:04 > 0:17:07'His system allowed sailors to judge the strength of the wind
0:17:07 > 0:17:11'based on how many sails a ship was able to put up.'
0:17:11 > 0:17:15For example, force six - "A strong breeze.
0:17:15 > 0:17:19"You could carry single reefs and top gallant sails."
0:17:19 > 0:17:23Ever since 1838, when the Royal Navy adopted the scale,
0:17:23 > 0:17:28the categories have stayed the same. But the descriptions have changed.
0:17:28 > 0:17:33'This is because, in 1921, meteorologist Sir George Simpson
0:17:33 > 0:17:36'modernised the Beaufort Scale so that wind force could be measured
0:17:36 > 0:17:42'in relation to how things on land were affected, using trees or even umbrellas.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45'So what does the wind measure today?'
0:17:45 > 0:17:47Let's consult the Beaufort Scale.
0:17:47 > 0:17:52"Light breeze, wind on face, leaves rustling" - all yes.
0:17:52 > 0:17:57That has a force, they say, of two.
0:17:57 > 0:18:02And that would go at speeds of four to seven miles per hour.
0:18:02 > 0:18:07What about a bit of modern technology? My anemometer. Four.
0:18:07 > 0:18:08Quite accurate.
0:18:08 > 0:18:10Not bad at all.
0:18:10 > 0:18:14'But this is the sort of wind we get all the time.
0:18:14 > 0:18:20'So what's it like to be in a force nine, ten or even 12? Well, I'm going to find out.
0:18:22 > 0:18:27'Normally used to test the durability of roof tiles, gutters and television aerials,
0:18:27 > 0:18:30'this wind tunnel at the Building Research Establishment
0:18:30 > 0:18:32'is going to test the durability of...
0:18:32 > 0:18:34'me.'
0:18:35 > 0:18:42It's man versus machine. Mr Beaufort, give me everything you've got.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55'Well, I have to say, so far, this is a breeze.
0:18:55 > 0:19:00'We've moved from force one to five in a matter of minutes.
0:19:00 > 0:19:01'And it's gentle at best.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04'Let's see what force six has to offer.'
0:19:05 > 0:19:11Wow! 'According to the scale, it should be hard to hold up an umbrella.'
0:19:11 > 0:19:13Let's give it a go.
0:19:16 > 0:19:17Yeah.
0:19:18 > 0:19:20I'd say yeah.
0:19:24 > 0:19:29Okey-dokey! Now we're talking windy. We're up to a force nine.
0:19:29 > 0:19:31According to the scale,
0:19:31 > 0:19:35tiles and chimneys could be thrown off the roof.
0:19:35 > 0:19:36Watch this!
0:19:36 > 0:19:38Woo! Hee-hee!
0:19:39 > 0:19:43'As we moved from 50 miles an hour to 60 miles an hour,
0:19:43 > 0:19:48'this is the point where a strong gale starts to become a storm.'
0:19:48 > 0:19:51OK, we're up to 11 now.
0:19:52 > 0:19:58And according to the scale, widespread damage to buildings. Wow!
0:19:58 > 0:20:00It's so strong!
0:20:02 > 0:20:04We're up to 12 now.
0:20:04 > 0:20:10You don't often see this in the UK, but we did back in 1987.
0:20:10 > 0:20:15Hurricane force. This is really, really frightening.
0:20:18 > 0:20:23But if I'm going to experience the full force of the UK wind,
0:20:23 > 0:20:26I can't stop there, because on Burns Night 1990,
0:20:26 > 0:20:29it was even stronger.
0:20:34 > 0:20:37This is absolutely petrifying.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42I really can't stand up.
0:20:44 > 0:20:460h, wow.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49Thank goodness I had a harness on
0:20:49 > 0:20:53because the wind was so strong, it forced me off my feet.
0:20:53 > 0:20:58My investigation of the Beaufort scale very nearly blew me away.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03We have truly taken on the elements this series.
0:21:03 > 0:21:07If Chris confronting a 100-mile-an-hour wind isn't enough,
0:21:07 > 0:21:11I decided to go even further to 5,000 feet
0:21:11 > 0:21:14where no weather presenter has ever dared to go before,
0:21:14 > 0:21:16into a huge cumulus cloud.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22We can all see that clouds float across our skies.
0:21:22 > 0:21:28We can all too often feel the effect of the huge amounts of water they contain.
0:21:28 > 0:21:34So, if they float, but are full of water, that begs a question.
0:21:34 > 0:21:36How much does a cloud actually weigh?
0:21:38 > 0:21:41Unfortunately there's only one way to answer that.
0:21:41 > 0:21:45We're going to be flying up amongst the clouds. Isn't that dangerous?
0:21:45 > 0:21:50It can be depending on what sort of cloud you choose to fly near.
0:21:50 > 0:21:54By their very nature they're formed by huge volumes of air.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57They can go up to heights of 60,000 feet,
0:21:57 > 0:21:59in which case you get huge problems.
0:21:59 > 0:22:01A lack of oxygen
0:22:01 > 0:22:05and very cold temperatures which you can't withstand.
0:22:05 > 0:22:08The coldest I've flown in is -63 degrees.
0:22:08 > 0:22:11I went up to 41,000 ft to break a world record.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14It gave me frostbite on my face and my eyes froze shut.
0:22:14 > 0:22:19But you'll be able to watch where we're going, won't you?
0:22:19 > 0:22:23You're having a laugh!
0:22:23 > 0:22:25'As long as we survive the cold,
0:22:25 > 0:22:29'Judy and I will attempt to fly through a cloud carrying one of these.'
0:22:29 > 0:22:32Got a radiosonde package here.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35It measures temperature, humidity and pressure.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38Here we have a GPS antenna -
0:22:38 > 0:22:41it tracks the position of the radiosonde.
0:22:41 > 0:22:45'Dr Jeremy and the Met Office research team's theory is
0:22:45 > 0:22:47'that by carrying the radiosonde through a cloud,
0:22:47 > 0:22:52'Judy and I can transmit back GPS and humidity data to his computer
0:22:52 > 0:22:54'which will enable him to weigh the cloud.'
0:22:54 > 0:23:00Pre-flight check. Leg loops, yours are in. Mine are in, helmet done up.
0:23:00 > 0:23:04Reserve is checked. Centralise weight.
0:23:04 > 0:23:10OK, take up slack, take up slack. Hold very, very tight. Here we go.
0:23:10 > 0:23:12Yee-ha, we're off.
0:23:12 > 0:23:15- Here we go.- Oh!- Yee-ha.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18Oh, my goodness.
0:23:20 > 0:23:21It's a wee bit bumpy.
0:23:21 > 0:23:24I'm hanging on to you for dear life.
0:23:24 > 0:23:28It's a fabulous view, but it makes you feel a wee bit dizzy.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31When it's near the surface,
0:23:31 > 0:23:35the wind gets interference from the trees and the buildings
0:23:35 > 0:23:37and the general fiction from the ground.
0:23:37 > 0:23:39That's why it's bumpy.
0:23:41 > 0:23:45'But there will be plenty of time for more bumps.'
0:23:45 > 0:23:49The wind is getting stronger as we get higher.
0:23:49 > 0:23:54'We've got at least a kilometre to travel to reach the clouds, upwards.'
0:23:54 > 0:23:57Now you can have a look at the view, isn't it beautiful?
0:23:57 > 0:24:01The view is spectacular. The sun is out.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04You can see some cumulus clouds. Oh!
0:24:04 > 0:24:07You'll never feel the power of the weather
0:24:07 > 0:24:10as strongly as when you're flying in a hang glider.
0:24:12 > 0:24:143,500 feet.
0:24:14 > 0:24:18I've never been this high without an aeroplane around me.
0:24:18 > 0:24:22I'm keeping my eyes open, just.
0:24:22 > 0:24:27It's very scary and I'm still too scared to look down. Oh, gosh.
0:24:27 > 0:24:32Much colder now, you can feel it against your cheeks and your skin.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35They've just hit the inversion now.
0:24:35 > 0:24:38'Usually as you gain altitude, the air gets colder,
0:24:38 > 0:24:42'but because of a phenomenon called an inversion,
0:24:42 > 0:24:44'once you get to a certain height in our atmosphere,
0:24:44 > 0:24:47'it actually starts to get warmer.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50'This warm air stops our clouds from rising.
0:24:50 > 0:24:57'That's why you see a flat blanket of cloud beneath you when you look out of a plane window.'
0:24:57 > 0:24:59Can you see this beautiful cloud?
0:24:59 > 0:25:02Gosh, we're up level with the clouds.
0:25:02 > 0:25:05Oh, my goodness. Wow!
0:25:05 > 0:25:07Oh, look at that.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10'But now that we've gained enough height,
0:25:10 > 0:25:12'there's no time to admire the view.'
0:25:12 > 0:25:14I'm going to release now.
0:25:14 > 0:25:20- What do I do?- Relax. That's it. It's done, it's done.
0:25:20 > 0:25:23- That's it. - It feels like we're diving.
0:25:23 > 0:25:27'We're running out of time to find a cloud to weigh.'
0:25:27 > 0:25:29That cloud looks like it's decaying.
0:25:29 > 0:25:31This one looks good.
0:25:40 > 0:25:45CHORAL MUSIC PLAYS
0:25:47 > 0:25:51We're completely in a white-out situation now.
0:25:51 > 0:25:53All you can see all around is cloud.
0:25:53 > 0:25:59And it's very windy in this cloud as well. Gosh, it's a huge one.
0:26:03 > 0:26:08You can feel the little lumps and bumps now cos we're just at the base of the cloud.
0:26:08 > 0:26:11When we were in the cloud, it didn't feel moist,
0:26:11 > 0:26:15but it felt very windy - I felt quite scared, to be honest.
0:26:17 > 0:26:22It's always different and exciting. It's the best view of the planet.
0:26:22 > 0:26:25What I love is how much you learn about the weather.
0:26:25 > 0:26:30'And hopefully with all the data we've gathered for Dr Jeremy and his team.'
0:26:30 > 0:26:33We're nearly there.
0:26:33 > 0:26:35We're nearly at ground level.
0:26:35 > 0:26:36Hanging on for dear life.
0:26:36 > 0:26:39There we go. Lovely.
0:26:41 > 0:26:46'We're about to learn something very new.' That was brilliant.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49Incredible stuff. I still don't believe it was you.
0:26:49 > 0:26:52I don't believe it either, Chris.
0:26:52 > 0:26:55Just remind me, what does one of these fluffy things weigh?
0:26:55 > 0:27:00Wait for it, an amazing 137 tonnes.
0:27:00 > 0:27:04That's the equivalent of 14 double-decker buses.
0:27:04 > 0:27:09Just that one cloud illustrates the magnitude and power of the weather.
0:27:09 > 0:27:12I'm so proud of you. Well done.
0:27:12 > 0:27:16Now, the weather affects what we wear, what we eat, what we buy.
0:27:16 > 0:27:20When the sun comes out, what do we all do? Plan a barbecue?
0:27:20 > 0:27:23Well, 120 million of them every year,
0:27:23 > 0:27:27which means we start buying more meat, ketchup.
0:27:27 > 0:27:31Our shopping habits can be as changeable as the weather.
0:27:31 > 0:27:34The supermarkets try and stay one step ahead.
0:27:34 > 0:27:37MUSIC: "Dance of the Knights" by Prokofiev
0:27:37 > 0:27:39Weather is big business.
0:27:39 > 0:27:42Multinationals all over the world pay huge sums of money
0:27:42 > 0:27:46for long-range weather forecasts.
0:27:46 > 0:27:48But why?
0:27:48 > 0:27:53A 2003 study revealed if companies account for the weather in their business plans,
0:27:53 > 0:27:55it could boost sales
0:27:55 > 0:27:59by £4.5 billion per year.
0:27:59 > 0:28:04One company that really focuses on the weather is Sainsbury's.
0:28:09 > 0:28:13They have a strategic weather forecast meeting every day.
0:28:13 > 0:28:15Good morning.
0:28:15 > 0:28:22They pay for incredibly detailed, long-range weather forecasts so they can plan what goods to stock.
0:28:22 > 0:28:23They wouldn't tell us the cost.
0:28:23 > 0:28:25Who's looking after Scotland?
0:28:25 > 0:28:29However, what they did tell us is the technology allows them
0:28:29 > 0:28:32to work between eight and ten days ahead.
0:28:32 > 0:28:34North-central?
0:28:36 > 0:28:39We need to downgrade the weekend from hot to warm...
0:28:40 > 0:28:44..based on the fact it will be raining across the region.
0:28:44 > 0:28:48- West Midlands and East Anglia? - Temperatures and conditions are unsettled until Saturday.
0:28:48 > 0:28:51Once they have this data, it's up to them to predict
0:28:51 > 0:28:55how weather conditions will affect consumer buying,
0:28:55 > 0:28:57or to you and me, what they put on their shelves.
0:28:57 > 0:29:02Get wellies, macs, umbrellas for the forecasted weather.
0:29:06 > 0:29:11So crucial is the role of weather in the sales of some products,
0:29:11 > 0:29:15supermarkets only decide on the quantities to order one day in advance.
0:29:15 > 0:29:20It just seems amazing that a company this big is going to make decisions
0:29:20 > 0:29:21on the weather.
0:29:21 > 0:29:26It defines how customers shop and defines what we do.
0:29:26 > 0:29:28And it's not just Sainsbury's.
0:29:28 > 0:29:31Tesco told us that the first sign of frost sees a peak in demand
0:29:31 > 0:29:37for cauliflower, long-life milk and bird feed.
0:29:37 > 0:29:41In hot weather Sainsbury's can see the sales of hair removal products
0:29:41 > 0:29:45increase by a whopping 1,400%.
0:29:45 > 0:29:48while barbecue sales can leap up by 200%.
0:29:48 > 0:29:51It pays to have them in stock.
0:29:51 > 0:29:57One of the items that's most sensitive to changes in the weather is the modest lettuce leaf.
0:29:57 > 0:30:00It's a nice, sunny, summer.
0:30:00 > 0:30:03What difference does it make in terms of salad sales?
0:30:03 > 0:30:05Overall about 60% more salads.
0:30:05 > 0:30:12We have 22 million customers a week, so you can imagine the difference in a warm summer or a cool, wet summer
0:30:12 > 0:30:15is millions and millions of bags of salads difference.
0:30:15 > 0:30:22We buy £450 million worth of bagged salads every year and because they have a short shelf life,
0:30:22 > 0:30:25supermarkets are careful not to overstock.
0:30:31 > 0:30:36We receive the orders on the day because freshness is critical.
0:30:36 > 0:30:39The order is transmitted from the factory to Adam on the farm.
0:30:39 > 0:30:44We can have the material cut by eight o'clock in the morning.
0:30:44 > 0:30:47Three-and-a-half hours later it's in the factory
0:30:47 > 0:30:53and we can have it washed, packed and on a lorry running out to the depot by late afternoon.
0:30:53 > 0:30:58In good weather they could be asked to supply twice the normal amount,
0:30:58 > 0:31:02but at the first sign of rain that could all change.
0:31:02 > 0:31:05The weather plays a huge role in influencing the orders.
0:31:05 > 0:31:08We're vulnerable to the shopping habits of the consumer
0:31:08 > 0:31:12in the supermarket and they won't pick up bagged salads
0:31:12 > 0:31:14if the weather isn't salad weather.
0:31:14 > 0:31:17Shoppers respond differently depending on where they live.
0:31:17 > 0:31:22In Scotland 20 degrees sees sales of barbecue goods triple,
0:31:22 > 0:31:24whereas in London
0:31:24 > 0:31:29it's got to reach 24 degrees before the same statistic applies.
0:31:29 > 0:31:31But there are common trends too.
0:31:31 > 0:31:36Supermarkets sell more ice-cream on a sunny, cool day than on a warm, cloudy day.
0:31:36 > 0:31:40While sales rise with temperature, once it hits 25 degrees,
0:31:40 > 0:31:42sales of tub ice-cream drop
0:31:42 > 0:31:45as people worry it will melt before they get home.
0:31:45 > 0:31:48So, the next time the sun is shining
0:31:48 > 0:31:52and you reach for that barbecue in your local supermarket,
0:31:52 > 0:31:56remember, they knew what you were going to buy before you did.
0:31:58 > 0:32:03George II famously said that we get three sunny days followed by a thunderstorm.
0:32:03 > 0:32:04That's British summer.
0:32:04 > 0:32:07That's especially true in the South-East of the country,
0:32:07 > 0:32:11because as soon as the temperature rises, it becomes a thunder factory.
0:32:13 > 0:32:18We all love it when the sun eventually comes out on a lovely, British, summer's day.
0:32:18 > 0:32:22But did you know that the sun's heat is the vital ingredient
0:32:22 > 0:32:24for one of the most powerful,
0:32:24 > 0:32:29beautiful and downright awesome displays of weather in nature?
0:32:29 > 0:32:31I'm talking about thunderstorms.
0:32:31 > 0:32:33THUNDERCLAP
0:32:33 > 0:32:36And I'm going to find out exactly how they work.
0:32:36 > 0:32:40MUSIC: "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC
0:32:40 > 0:32:42There are 2,000 thunderstorms
0:32:42 > 0:32:46rumbling across the world at any given moment.
0:32:46 > 0:32:49Eight million bolts of lightning flashing through the skies every day.
0:32:51 > 0:32:55In the UK we have an average of eight days of thunderstorms every year.
0:32:55 > 0:32:59And if you think lightning doesn't strike twice, you'd be wrong.
0:32:59 > 0:33:04London and the South-East are hit by lightning once a fortnight during the summer,
0:33:04 > 0:33:08twice as much as the Midlands and an astonishing eight times more than Northern Ireland.
0:33:11 > 0:33:13And I want to know why.
0:33:13 > 0:33:15Meteorologist Dr Daniel Kirshbaum,
0:33:15 > 0:33:18is giving me a crash course in thunderstorms
0:33:18 > 0:33:21in a very visual way.
0:33:21 > 0:33:25This is brilliant, but what's going on?
0:33:25 > 0:33:27He is representing the blazing sun
0:33:27 > 0:33:31- heating the Earth's surface during the summer time. - Why is heat important?
0:33:31 > 0:33:37It's important for generating the instability to give rise to clouds and storms.
0:33:37 > 0:33:41The South-East is Britain's hottest region
0:33:41 > 0:33:43with average summer temperatures
0:33:43 > 0:33:48a massive seven degrees higher than those in Inverness.
0:33:48 > 0:33:53Two crucial ingredients for a thunderstorm are moisture and warmth.
0:33:53 > 0:33:57The high humidity alongside warm temperatures
0:33:57 > 0:33:59creates massive amounts of warm, moist air,
0:33:59 > 0:34:03rising into the atmosphere, forming clouds.
0:34:05 > 0:34:08When the clouds form near the surface, they're cumulus clouds
0:34:08 > 0:34:12and these are the cauliflower clouds you see in the sky.
0:34:12 > 0:34:17They're not too dangerous until they keep growing vertically, till they eventually start making precipitation
0:34:17 > 0:34:20and they're cumulonimbus clouds, thunderheads.
0:34:22 > 0:34:25In the summer months these thunderheads occur
0:34:25 > 0:34:28more frequently because the warm air has more energy
0:34:28 > 0:34:30and therefore the potential to make larger clouds.
0:34:30 > 0:34:34The cumulonimbus has the ability to reach up as high as 10 miles
0:34:34 > 0:34:37and as it continues to expand upwards,
0:34:37 > 0:34:42it cools causing the water droplets to freeze into ice crystals.
0:34:42 > 0:34:45Now we're looking from inside the cloud where there's
0:34:45 > 0:34:51loads of liquid droplets and ice particles of different sizes banging together.
0:34:51 > 0:34:55These performers represent the colliding particles whose
0:34:55 > 0:34:57friction creates an electric charge.
0:34:57 > 0:35:01Positively charged particles rise to the top of the cloud and
0:35:01 > 0:35:07negatively charged particles sink to the base creating an electric field.
0:35:07 > 0:35:12This field becomes so intense that an electrical charge is released.
0:35:14 > 0:35:18It's a high-voltage, high current surge of electrons
0:35:18 > 0:35:20and that's lightning.
0:35:22 > 0:35:26With a temperature of 30,000 degrees,
0:35:26 > 0:35:30lightning is six times hotter than the surface of the sun.
0:35:30 > 0:35:33The air around it is rapidly heated until it explodes
0:35:33 > 0:35:36creating a shockwave which we know as thunder.
0:35:42 > 0:35:46There are three main types of lightning that strike the UK each year.
0:35:46 > 0:35:50Each equally spectacular but with different levels of danger.
0:35:50 > 0:35:55The most common type is intra-cloud, it happens within the cloud.
0:35:55 > 0:35:57You might have seen this,
0:35:57 > 0:36:00it's a flash of light followed by a few flickers.
0:36:00 > 0:36:03It's also known as sheet lightning. It's awesome.
0:36:03 > 0:36:07There's intra-cloud lightning which happens between two different clouds.
0:36:07 > 0:36:10One positive part of one cloud and one negative part of another
0:36:10 > 0:36:12and the lightning flies across.
0:36:12 > 0:36:15I'm perfectly safe down here but up there in a plane?
0:36:18 > 0:36:22The most dangerous lightning of them all is from cloud to ground.
0:36:22 > 0:36:25The negative charge of the cloud meets the positive charge
0:36:25 > 0:36:28of the earth creating a bolt.
0:36:28 > 0:36:30It's potentially lethal.
0:36:31 > 0:36:36Yes, on average 30 to 40 people are struck by lightning in the UK
0:36:36 > 0:36:40each year so whilst it might be a dazzling display to watch,
0:36:40 > 0:36:43it's best to keep out of its way.
0:36:45 > 0:36:49Don't be too concerned, people at home or you, Carole.
0:36:49 > 0:36:53There's only a one in 1.4 million chance of getting struck by lightning.
0:36:53 > 0:36:54And it gets better for you
0:36:54 > 0:36:57because men are much more likely than women to be hit.
0:36:57 > 0:37:01In the last 10 years, over 80% of those struck by lightning have been male.
0:37:01 > 0:37:05That's a high percentage but it's comforting for us girls. Thank you, Chris.
0:37:05 > 0:37:09Of course the chances of getting rained on are much, much higher.
0:37:09 > 0:37:12Did you know we've been using umbrellas for 2,000 years
0:37:12 > 0:37:17and we've so many that 75,000 are lost each year on the buses
0:37:17 > 0:37:21and tubes of London alone. They're probably all yours, Chris.
0:37:21 > 0:37:22I know where I'd left them now!
0:37:22 > 0:37:25Actor Larry Lamb charts the history of our most popular accessory.
0:37:29 > 0:37:33During my time on EastEnders I felt the heat on more than one occasion.
0:37:33 > 0:37:35Any last words?
0:37:35 > 0:37:38And experienced a few downpours as well.
0:37:38 > 0:37:43When I got the chance to find out about the history of the umbrella I couldn't say no.
0:37:43 > 0:37:45Especially when I found out
0:37:45 > 0:37:49I could do a spot of sightseeing along the way.
0:37:49 > 0:37:53It starts here in the land of the Pharaohs where the ancient Egyptians...
0:37:53 > 0:37:59- Cut! Sorry, we should be in China. - In China?! Ha!
0:37:59 > 0:38:03All right, that's nicer than the dreary old Albert Square
0:38:03 > 0:38:07and fancy the BBC flying me all the way out here to China.
0:38:07 > 0:38:11Cut! Actually, that might not be right. Have we got ancient Greece?
0:38:11 > 0:38:13Greece? Are you kidding?
0:38:15 > 0:38:20To be honest, the origin of the umbrella is a little bit ambiguous.
0:38:20 > 0:38:24There's evidence to suggest it originated in the sun-drenched East,
0:38:24 > 0:38:29either in Egypt or China around 2,400 years ago,
0:38:29 > 0:38:31but nobody knows for sure.
0:38:32 > 0:38:37What we do know is the word umbrella comes from the Latin root word umbra
0:38:37 > 0:38:39meaning shade or shadow.
0:38:39 > 0:38:43Early versions were probably made from these, tree branches,
0:38:43 > 0:38:45they may not look very rainproof but in those days
0:38:45 > 0:38:50umbrellas were used to protect you from the sun rather than the rain.
0:38:52 > 0:38:57In ancient Egypt, the umbrella was seen as a symbol of religious importance.
0:38:57 > 0:39:00In ancient Greece, it was commonly used by women as
0:39:00 > 0:39:04a fashion accessory because of its decorative nature.
0:39:04 > 0:39:10The umbrella only became really popular to the Western world around
0:39:10 > 0:39:12the 16th century, especially in rainy Europe.
0:39:12 > 0:39:16To tell me more, I've enlisted the help of Geoffrey Breeze -
0:39:16 > 0:39:19an expert in antique umbrellas.
0:39:19 > 0:39:21How did the umbrella become so popular in Britain?
0:39:21 > 0:39:26They were used as portable sunshades in Italy and France
0:39:26 > 0:39:29and then, women being women, they saw the girls over the Channel
0:39:29 > 0:39:32using them, the English girls wanted it as well.
0:39:32 > 0:39:37In Britain, they're more useful as a defence against rain than the sun.
0:39:37 > 0:39:40But did you know it was the Chinese who first started waterproofing
0:39:40 > 0:39:42umbrellas to protect against the rain?
0:39:42 > 0:39:46And then the rest of the world followed their example.
0:39:46 > 0:39:52In the same way there was one man who popularised the umbrellas use amongst men.
0:39:52 > 0:39:54The hard work was done by a guy called John Hanway,
0:39:54 > 0:39:57a noted traveller and philanthropist.
0:39:57 > 0:40:02He first dared to walk the streets of London sporting an umbrella
0:40:02 > 0:40:05to cover his powdered wig as he went about his business.
0:40:05 > 0:40:09He had to put up with the London mob shouting abuse at him.
0:40:09 > 0:40:11"Oh, sir, your stick's got petticoats on!"
0:40:13 > 0:40:16And how would he have carried something like that?
0:40:16 > 0:40:18Try it for yourself...
0:40:23 > 0:40:25Can you hit the pose, get the angle?
0:40:25 > 0:40:29- That came a little too easily, I think!- There we go.
0:40:29 > 0:40:35You feel a drop of rain coming on, lift your umbrella. Up it comes.
0:40:35 > 0:40:38- Raise it to an elegant angle. - Now we're wearing our umbrella.
0:40:38 > 0:40:43- And looking good.- Thank you very much. Very kind of you.
0:40:43 > 0:40:47In 1852, the brolly advanced further
0:40:47 > 0:40:52when Samuel Fox invented the first steel-ribbed umbrella design in the UK.
0:40:52 > 0:40:57He made him from steel stays, the same ones used in women's corsets.
0:41:01 > 0:41:03But how do things compare from then to today?
0:41:03 > 0:41:07One thing's for sure, we buy a lot more umbrellas.
0:41:07 > 0:41:11Around 18 million a year at a cost of £130 million.
0:41:11 > 0:41:15One person who's had more than her fair share of umbrellas
0:41:15 > 0:41:16is her Majesty the Queen.
0:41:16 > 0:41:20The man who's been keeping her dry for nearly 30 years is
0:41:20 > 0:41:22manufacturer Nigel Fulton.
0:41:22 > 0:41:24And this is the one we supplied the Queen,
0:41:24 > 0:41:28- this is her favourite umbrella. - The royal umbrella.
0:41:28 > 0:41:31It's got a PVC see-through cover so she can see out
0:41:31 > 0:41:33but more importantly people can see in.
0:41:33 > 0:41:35I rather like that.
0:41:35 > 0:41:37Great choice, Your Majesty.
0:41:38 > 0:41:43So, it's carried by everyone from kings and queens to the common man.
0:41:43 > 0:41:47All of us keen to protect ourselves from whatever the great
0:41:47 > 0:41:49British weather has to throw at us.
0:41:51 > 0:41:54The weather plays a huge part in our everyday lives
0:41:54 > 0:41:57so it's perhaps not surprising to learn that it's played
0:41:57 > 0:42:00a critical role in our national history, too.
0:42:01 > 0:42:06In 1944 the Nazis occupied much of mainland Europe.
0:42:06 > 0:42:10Five years into the Second World War, Hitler's forces still posed
0:42:10 > 0:42:12a huge threat to the UK.
0:42:12 > 0:42:16If the Germans were ever going to be defeated, the British, American
0:42:16 > 0:42:20and Allied forces have no choice but to invade northern France and force
0:42:20 > 0:42:26back the German troops amassed just over 100 miles from British shores.
0:42:26 > 0:42:29The invasion was absolutely essential to the success
0:42:29 > 0:42:32of our campaign against the Nazis and by extension
0:42:32 > 0:42:36to freeing Europe and turning Europe into the place it is today.
0:42:36 > 0:42:41A place of free democracy, free political will and personal choice.
0:42:41 > 0:42:45The planned D-Day invasion involved 156,000 men
0:42:45 > 0:42:50sailing across the English Channel in 4,127 boats.
0:42:50 > 0:42:54Landing on the shores of Normandy in order to invade through northern France.
0:42:54 > 0:42:57However, if the invasion was going to be a success,
0:42:57 > 0:42:59the weather would have to play a key role.
0:42:59 > 0:43:03The weather conditions required for D-Day to be a success were complex.
0:43:03 > 0:43:06They needed a series of circumstances to come together.
0:43:06 > 0:43:10The timing of the invasion was absolutely crucial.
0:43:10 > 0:43:14In particular, they needed cloud cover no lower than 3,000 ft for aerial operations.
0:43:14 > 0:43:19They needed visibility of at least three miles for the naval gunnery.
0:43:19 > 0:43:22And they needed high tide so they could float over the German beach defences.
0:43:22 > 0:43:26And the man charged with predicting these complex weather conditions
0:43:26 > 0:43:29was 43-year-old James Stagg reporting directly to
0:43:29 > 0:43:32the Supreme Allied Commander, General Eisenhower.
0:43:32 > 0:43:35James Stagg was the senior meteorologist who had been
0:43:35 > 0:43:39commissioned as Group Captain in the Royal Air Force,
0:43:39 > 0:43:42he was a weather expert.
0:43:42 > 0:43:46And it was his job to head up the teams that forecast
0:43:46 > 0:43:48the weather for the invasion.
0:43:50 > 0:43:54Stagg was based at Southwark House in Hampshire alongside Eisenhower.
0:43:54 > 0:43:59From here, the key decisions surrounding D-Day were made.
0:43:59 > 0:44:04Alison Gregory worked in the operations room throughout this time.
0:44:04 > 0:44:10I'm perfectly certain that the job of Group Captain Stagg did
0:44:10 > 0:44:13was vital to the whole operation.
0:44:13 > 0:44:16so much depended on that poor man!
0:44:16 > 0:44:19The pressure on Group Captain Stagg was immense.
0:44:19 > 0:44:22He knew the decision on whether to invade or not to invade
0:44:22 > 0:44:25would be based on his meteorological advice.
0:44:25 > 0:44:30And with 156,000 troops on standby, many lives were at stake.
0:44:30 > 0:44:34I had long had in the back of my mind the tactical use of
0:44:34 > 0:44:38weather just to be able to pick out some interlude unknown to
0:44:38 > 0:44:41the enemy forces that would allow us to make use of it
0:44:41 > 0:44:45and catch the people on the other side unaware.
0:44:45 > 0:44:51But weather forecasting in 1944 was not nearly as advanced as now.
0:44:51 > 0:44:54It was as much of an art as a science.
0:44:54 > 0:44:56They used data from observation stations.
0:44:56 > 0:44:59What they didn't have is the sort of satellites,
0:44:59 > 0:45:02weather satellites we have today.
0:45:02 > 0:45:07So, weather forecasting involved a certain amount of gut instinct
0:45:07 > 0:45:10as well as a considerable amount of technical skill.
0:45:10 > 0:45:14Stagg knew the next right tide and moonlight conditions to launch
0:45:14 > 0:45:17an invasion would be between the 5th and 7th June.
0:45:17 > 0:45:21But the weather was looking atrocious.
0:45:21 > 0:45:24The rain was pelting down, the wind was blowing.
0:45:24 > 0:45:27It was unimaginable!
0:45:27 > 0:45:31It must have been frightful for all the senior officers having to
0:45:31 > 0:45:36work out what on earth to do.
0:45:36 > 0:45:39But the Stagg saw a glimmer of hope.
0:45:39 > 0:45:42After receiving data from a single weather ship in the Atlantic,
0:45:42 > 0:45:48he spotted a short period of high pressure looked like it was moving in from the south-east.
0:45:48 > 0:45:52He was able, based on that data, to predict a short break in the weather,
0:45:52 > 0:45:55on the morning of the 6th June.
0:45:55 > 0:45:58That didn't mean the weather would be good,
0:45:58 > 0:46:02it meant he thought it would be good enough and there's a big difference.
0:46:03 > 0:46:09Based on this information, Stagg took the momentous decision to advise Eisenhower to invade.
0:46:12 > 0:46:16The whole operation was in suspense and everyone in that room knew
0:46:16 > 0:46:22that within a few hours, an irrevocable decision had to be made.
0:46:22 > 0:46:25Eisenhower took Stagg at his word and launched the attack.
0:46:29 > 0:46:32At 11:30, the captain came on the Tannoy and told us that we were leaving
0:46:32 > 0:46:37to go to Normandy to liberate Europe.
0:46:37 > 0:46:42If Stagg was wrong, hundreds of thousands of troops could be lost in rough seas.
0:46:45 > 0:46:49We understood that "this is it, lad", you know.
0:46:49 > 0:46:52It was imminent.
0:46:52 > 0:46:54As the fleet set across the Channel,
0:46:54 > 0:46:58all Stagg and Eisenhower could do was hope they were right.
0:47:00 > 0:47:05RADIO: 'People of Western Europe, a landing was made this morning
0:47:05 > 0:47:09'on the coast of France by troops of the Allied Expeditionary Force.'
0:47:10 > 0:47:16And Stagg's prediction there would be a crucial break in the weather was correct.
0:47:16 > 0:47:20For around ten hours on that historic day,
0:47:20 > 0:47:24the cloud cover was perfect for the aerial assault,
0:47:24 > 0:47:26visibility was right for the naval gunnery
0:47:26 > 0:47:32and the rising tides enables the landing crafts to sail over the German beach defences.
0:47:33 > 0:47:37When we knew the landing was successful,
0:47:37 > 0:47:40it was absolutely wonderful.
0:47:40 > 0:47:42Absolutely thrilled to bits.
0:47:44 > 0:47:50How our boys landed on this beach, I'll never, never ever know.
0:47:50 > 0:47:57Only God above can say. Miracles happened that day.
0:47:57 > 0:47:59They got there and did a wonderful job.
0:47:59 > 0:48:02I feel privileged to be part of it.
0:48:03 > 0:48:08It is arguable that one man, James Stagg, his weather forecast,
0:48:08 > 0:48:11given to General Eisenhower with his advice,
0:48:11 > 0:48:16made the invasion possible and began the process that ended the war in Europe.
0:48:18 > 0:48:19That is amazing.
0:48:19 > 0:48:24Can you imagine the responsibility on one man's search shoulders to get that forecast right?
0:48:24 > 0:48:28- Of course, if he gets it wrong, we're changing the course of history.- Absolutely.
0:48:28 > 0:48:32The Germans were told to stand down that day because of the weather conditions.
0:48:32 > 0:48:34My goodness. They didn't expect the invasion.
0:48:34 > 0:48:36Talking about massive responsibility,
0:48:36 > 0:48:40what about having to deliver the weather to the whole of the nation every day?
0:48:40 > 0:48:43- Carol, imagine that? - Yes, I can actually.- I bet you could.
0:48:43 > 0:48:46This year marks the 150th anniversary
0:48:46 > 0:48:51since The Times newspaper publish the first forecast in September 1860.
0:48:51 > 0:48:55And TV has only been trying to get it right for the last 57 years,
0:48:55 > 0:48:58during which time things have changed quite considerably.
0:48:58 > 0:49:03# I don't care What the weatherman says... #
0:49:03 > 0:49:07The BBC has been broadcasting the weather for nearly 60 years.
0:49:07 > 0:49:10- That's where the rain is sitting. - 950 millibars.
0:49:10 > 0:49:15What we've tried to do is bring the weather to life, to tell the story,
0:49:15 > 0:49:18so that people have an impression of what we think is likely to happen.
0:49:18 > 0:49:21'They've developed their own unique styles -
0:49:21 > 0:49:25from Michael Fish's colourful wardrobe, to Bill Giles's customary wink.'
0:49:25 > 0:49:27- A very good night to you. - 'And, like the weather,
0:49:27 > 0:49:31'the style of forecasting during that time has been distinctly changeable.'
0:49:31 > 0:49:33'Let's step back in time.'
0:49:41 > 0:49:46'The first televised weather forecast was in January 1954
0:49:46 > 0:49:50'when the broadcasts were rather more formal affairs compared to today's colourful bunch.'
0:49:50 > 0:49:53Hello there, and if you got wet today,
0:49:53 > 0:49:55you were decidedly unlucky because...
0:49:55 > 0:49:59I certainly remember watching the weather forecasts in black and white,
0:49:59 > 0:50:02not just black and white, but civil servants doing them.
0:50:02 > 0:50:06Let's go across and take a look at today's chart.
0:50:06 > 0:50:09He probably didn't even volunteer to go on television.
0:50:09 > 0:50:12He was a civil servant and he was doing a Met briefing!
0:50:13 > 0:50:18'Things got a bit more lively in 1967 with the introduction of colour television.'
0:50:21 > 0:50:25'With that, the BBC brought in a new range of weather symbols,
0:50:25 > 0:50:27'based on international standards.
0:50:27 > 0:50:30'But they weren't that easy to understand.'
0:50:30 > 0:50:33That blue triangle means "shower".
0:50:34 > 0:50:38That, rather appropriate today, means a thunderstorm.
0:50:38 > 0:50:40And that, rarely used, means sunshine.
0:50:40 > 0:50:46'1974 and the first-ever female forecaster, Barbara Edwards,
0:50:46 > 0:50:49'burst onto our screens.'
0:50:49 > 0:50:52Outbreaks of rain, sleet and snow in many eastern parts of the country.
0:50:52 > 0:50:55'She blazed a trail for many others who have followed.
0:50:55 > 0:51:01'And in 1975, more excitement as the BBC introduced magnetic rubber symbols.'
0:51:01 > 0:51:03I'm afraid to we are going to be losing the sunshine
0:51:03 > 0:51:05in southern and eastern parts.
0:51:05 > 0:51:12'Viewers watched with awe as the forecaster could show the weather changing in front of our eyes.'
0:51:12 > 0:51:16The magnetic symbols we had actually transformed the weather forecast.
0:51:16 > 0:51:22And many of them could well turn out to be fairly thundery with some, er, oh dear...
0:51:22 > 0:51:23- BLEEP - Let's do it again.
0:51:23 > 0:51:27'1985 and the forecasters had some new toys to play with - computers.'
0:51:27 > 0:51:31By 12 o'clock, brighter weather getting into the north-west of Scotland.
0:51:34 > 0:51:37We got a live feed from the Met Office computer in Bracknell
0:51:37 > 0:51:40straight into our studio system and on to the air.
0:51:40 > 0:51:45Just overnight, like that, you had so many wonderful things you wanted to show,
0:51:45 > 0:51:47such as rainfall, such as radar pictures.
0:51:47 > 0:51:51Satellite pictures. You wanted to show everything and you didn't have time.
0:51:51 > 0:51:57'This was followed by the disappointingly low-tech-looking blue and green screens.'
0:51:57 > 0:51:59'But some presenters found it a little tricky.'
0:51:59 > 0:52:05We had learnt this whole new technique of a looking at a screen and there's nothing there.
0:52:05 > 0:52:07Behind you, when you're presenting, you can't see anything.
0:52:07 > 0:52:12When you turn around and run your finger down, say, a weather front,
0:52:12 > 0:52:15you can't see it behind you, but you can see it in the screen in front
0:52:15 > 0:52:19and when you hit it bang on the nose, it's like, "Oh! Result!"
0:52:19 > 0:52:23'Then, in 2005, in a deeply controversial move,
0:52:23 > 0:52:29the forecasts were updated with brand, spanking-new 3D graphics, but the public didn't like it.
0:52:29 > 0:52:34We had so many complaints about it. What the problem was the angle of the map
0:52:34 > 0:52:37was such that the south coast of England looked enormous
0:52:37 > 0:52:40but Scotland looked teeny at the top, so that was addressed.
0:52:40 > 0:52:46'But despite this half-decade of progress, there's only one thing the viewers are really interested in -
0:52:46 > 0:52:48'whether the forecasters have got it right.'
0:52:48 > 0:52:52- That's all for this afternoon. - That is all for me.- Good night.
0:52:52 > 0:52:56We all know the sun doesn't always come out when we want it to,
0:52:56 > 0:52:59so when it does show its face, we want to make the most of it.
0:52:59 > 0:53:04My old mate Craig Revel Horwood went in search of the quintessential summer tan.
0:53:06 > 0:53:10- CRAIG:- Every dancer on Strictly knows there is nothing that sets the floor alight
0:53:10 > 0:53:13like a gleaming tan.
0:53:13 > 0:53:18But it's not just on the dance floor bronzing reigns supreme,
0:53:18 > 0:53:22it's the same across the country as, each summer, millions of Brits
0:53:22 > 0:53:28invade our beaches, parks and lidos to offer themselves to the sun
0:53:28 > 0:53:31in the mere hope of a deep, luscious tan.
0:53:33 > 0:53:36Three-quarters of us like to have a tan at some time during the year.
0:53:36 > 0:53:40Nearly a quarter go for the year-round bronzed look.
0:53:40 > 0:53:47But not so long ago, a tan was not quite so sought after.
0:53:49 > 0:53:51Up until the early twentieth-century,
0:53:51 > 0:53:55if you had a tan, it meant you must work outside
0:53:55 > 0:53:59and, therefore, be a member of the lower classes.
0:53:59 > 0:54:02The wealthy even bought a lotions that made them whiter
0:54:02 > 0:54:07and, above them, the aristocracy did all they could
0:54:07 > 0:54:10to maintain pale translucent skin that exposed blue veins.
0:54:10 > 0:54:13The origin of the term "blue blood".
0:54:13 > 0:54:17Before the 19th century, it was the poor who were out
0:54:17 > 0:54:19in the fields and they had tans.
0:54:19 > 0:54:22But, industrialisation and urbanisation
0:54:22 > 0:54:26meant the poor went from the fields into the factories,
0:54:26 > 0:54:28therefore they were white.
0:54:28 > 0:54:31So it actually became more attractive to have a tan.
0:54:33 > 0:54:37And aside from vanity, a healthy justification began to emerge
0:54:37 > 0:54:40for the latest fashionable indulgence of the rich.
0:54:41 > 0:54:46Various medical experts discovered the therapeutic properties of sunshine
0:54:46 > 0:54:52and started to use it to cure things like tuberculosis of the skin, and rickets.
0:54:52 > 0:54:55If you sunbathed, you referred to it as taking a sun cure.
0:54:59 > 0:55:03By the middle of last century, Britain's holiday industry was booming
0:55:03 > 0:55:07and beaches up and down the country were packed with sun-worshippers
0:55:07 > 0:55:11revelling in the scorching summer temperatures.
0:55:11 > 0:55:15But I don't need to tell you that not all the summers here are scorching
0:55:15 > 0:55:18and the rise of the package holiday
0:55:18 > 0:55:22meant millions could afford to soak up stronger sunshine abroad.
0:55:22 > 0:55:27Uninitiated Brits began to get seriously sunburnt.
0:55:28 > 0:55:33Something the rest of the world had managed to avoid for thousands of years.
0:55:33 > 0:55:37Would you mind, darling, if I demonstrated some ancient...
0:55:37 > 0:55:41- Crikey!- ..lovely sun-tan lotions on you?
0:55:41 > 0:55:46'The ancient Egyptians considered light skin more beautiful than dark skin.'
0:55:46 > 0:55:47If I may just have your hand.
0:55:47 > 0:55:50'To achieve the paler look in their scorching climate,
0:55:50 > 0:55:52'they used rice-bran extract.'
0:55:52 > 0:55:53It's very sticky.
0:55:53 > 0:55:57'Modern pharmacologists refer to it as gamma oryzanol
0:55:57 > 0:56:02'and its UV-absorbing properties are still used in sunscreen today.'
0:56:04 > 0:56:08- That looks rather quite nice. - Not very practical. Everything would get stuck to you.
0:56:11 > 0:56:13Ah, sir, you look like a bit of an Olympian.
0:56:13 > 0:56:19'In ancient Greece, Olympic athletes would smother themselves in a mixture of sand and oil.'
0:56:19 > 0:56:21My you are broad shouldered!
0:56:21 > 0:56:24'The oil meant the sand could be rubbed all over the body,
0:56:24 > 0:56:29as Olympians believed its tiny grains could scatter the UV rays.'
0:56:29 > 0:56:31HE GRUNTS
0:56:33 > 0:56:40'Christopher Columbus noted in 1492 that Caribbean islanders used colour pigment as sunblock.'
0:56:40 > 0:56:42'Red was their favourite.'
0:56:42 > 0:56:46Do you think you could wear this over your entire body for the full day?
0:56:46 > 0:56:51Um, I'm not sure about wearing it over my entire body all day because it doesn't rub in.
0:56:51 > 0:56:56'But, after 500 years of sun worshipping, things have really changed.'
0:56:56 > 0:57:01These days, you don't even need the sun to get a tan. You can spray it on...
0:57:03 > 0:57:05..or you can rub it in.
0:57:07 > 0:57:11'Concerns about sun exposure and skin cancer have resulted
0:57:11 > 0:57:14'in a £100 million market in fake tanning.'
0:57:14 > 0:57:19'But which part of Great Britain is forking out the most to fake it?'
0:57:19 > 0:57:23- Essex very definitely.- People in Newcastle - head to toe orange.
0:57:23 > 0:57:26Probably Scotland that people fake tan the most.
0:57:26 > 0:57:30Liverpool because my grandma is tanned all year round and she's from there.
0:57:30 > 0:57:36'It's true. A whopping 59% of Merseysiders admit to faking it
0:57:36 > 0:57:39'five or more times each month.'
0:57:39 > 0:57:42'Probably almost as much as some people I know.'
0:57:42 > 0:57:47S-s-s-scott! You've got the licence to thrill!
0:57:47 > 0:57:52Can you imagine us lot on Strictly Come Dancing without our golden glow?
0:57:52 > 0:57:55'No, neither can I.'
0:57:55 > 0:57:57Well, that's all we have time for tonight.
0:57:57 > 0:57:59Yes, we've had a blast on this series,
0:57:59 > 0:58:01bringing you The Great British Weather.
0:58:01 > 0:58:05- We'll see you next time, whatever the weather. Goodbye.- Bye-bye.
0:58:05 > 0:58:07Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:58:07 > 0:58:09E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk