Storm Desmond Lashes U.K., Ireland With Flooding, Winds Over 100 MPH; Taps Caribbean Moisture

Six years after an unnamed storm wreaked havoc across Cumbria, Storm Desmond struck the county with fearsome impact once again...Environmental campaigners suggested it was a sign of a bleak future for Britain and the rest of the world, accusing negotiators at the UN’s climate change conference in Paris of “fiddling while Britain floods”...[The Met Office] said the indications were that some parts of the county might have experienced 300mm of rainfall, well over the normal 200-250mm expected in the average December...Asked specifically if the weekend’s chaos could be directly related to climate change, a spokesmanfor the agency said: “Climate change is happening now and we must build resilience and adapt to the changes that are unavoidable."