Storm Claudia: Data-Driven Insights from Teal
In mid–November 2025, Storm Claudia swept across Western Europe, leaving a clear reminder of the growing impact of extreme weather. Between 13-14 November, the storm brought heavy precipitation, powerful winds, and severe flooding, impacting communities from Portugal to the UK.
What Happened?
- Portugal (13th November):
Storm Claudia unleashed extreme winds in Portugal, with gusts exceeding 110 km/h in the Algarve region. Tragically, three lives were lost, including a British woman at a campsite in Albufeira. The storm uprooted trees, damaged infrastructure, and caused widespread power outages. [news.sky.com]
- UK (14th November):
The storm shifted north, bringing torrential rain to Wales and England. In South Wales, rainfall triggered “severe and widespread” flooding, prompting authorities to declare a major incident in Monmouthshire. Emergency services carried out rescues and evacuations as rivers burst their banks. [news.sky.com]
- Transport Disruption:
Rail and road networks across Wales and parts of England were severely affected. Authorities issued “do not travel” warnings, and multiple routes were closed due to standing water and landslides. [news.sky.com]
The Scale of the Event
Storm Claudia was not just another storm — it was an extreme precipitation and wind event across multiple countries. In some UK regions, rainfall totals approached a month’s worth of rain in just 24 hours, overwhelming drainage systems and infrastructure. [news.sky.com]
Visualising the Data with Teal
Understanding the magnitude of such events is critical for education, planning and resilience. Tools like Teal allow scientists, policymakers, and communities to visualise climate data, identify anomalies, and place extreme events in historical context.
Example 1: Portugal (13th November 2025)
On Teal, by selecting:
- Variable: Precipitation
- Geographical view: Sub-country
- Temporal resolution: Daily data
- Region: Lisboa, Portugal
The resulting chart shows a precipitation spike of 76 mm on this day, far above historical norms, marking 13th November as an extreme event.
Example 2: Wales (14th November 2025)
Similarly, for Monmouthshire, Wales, Teal highlights 53 mm of rain in a single day, a clear outlier compared to historical amounts.
Why This Matters
Storm Claudia underscores the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events linked to climate change. Data visualisation tools like Teal are essential for:
- Monitoring recent events
- Supporting emergency planning
- Driving evidence-based climate policies
Learn More in Our Teal Webinars
To deepen your understanding of climate data and how to turn it into actionable insights, join the Teal Tool Webinar Series hosted by WEMC. The latest session, “Exploring the Climate with Teal: What the Data Tell Us”, was a 60-minute interactive event designed for educators, students, and anyone curious about climate events and trends. Using real-world examples, we demonstrated how Teal visualises variables like temperature, precipitation, and carbon emissions.
Watch our webinar recordings here, and explore the data yourself at tealtool.earth
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