Manx forecaster's warning over rising sea levels

High winds led to flooding on Douglas promenade in December 2021

The Isle of Man must prioritise improving coastal defences as sea levels continue to rise, a veteran weather forecaster has said.

Adrian Cowin, who recently retired after a 40-year career, said weather events will become "more extreme, more often" due to climate change.

Mr Cowin said action needed to be taken to prepare for a potential increase in severe gales, flooding and snow.

Improvements could take decades but it was important to start now, he added.

The former senior met officer, who worked at Ronaldsway Met Office, said the measures would "buy some time for scientists, engineers and decision makers".

But now was a "good time for people to be aware of their impact, however small, on the global warming effects caused by greenhouse gases".

Adrian Cowin recently retired after 40 years of forecasts on the Isle of Man

Mr Cowin said during his career he had noticed temperatures become "much milder" in line with most of the world.

Thirty years ago there were between five and six frosty days per month during January and February on the Isle of Man, but now there are between two and three, he said.

The former forecaster said he had also witnessed huge changes in the tools meteorologists use to put forecasts together, which used to be made up of "manual readings from thermometers, wind gauges and rain gauges".

The advances in technology during his decades of forecasting have meant the Met Office team are now relied upon to deliver long range forecasts to keep up with the "growing appetite" for weather information, he said.

The retiring forecaster worked about 3,200 overnight shifts during his career at the Ronaldsway Met Office

But Mr Cowin, who was on duty during extreme weather events such as the severe coastal flooding in Douglas in 2002 and the heavy snow of 2013, said daily local forecasts were as "important as ever".

"A regional office can add to that value of the weather warnings to help people take care," he added.

On his retirement, he said was proud to have had the "the opportunity to help people stay safe, I got great job satisfaction from that".

But he said he would not miss being on duty during settled periods of weather as they were "pleasant for most people, but boring for weathermen".