Barometer: Storm waves? It could be three times worse

The test of a wave

Waves measuring 27ft from peak to trough were seen off Land’s End as the stormy weather continued. How do these compare with the highest waves ever measured?

— Waves of 67ft were measured by a buoy off the coast of Donegal in December 2011, the highest found around the British Isles.
— The highest wave yet recorded during a storm was one of 91ft during Hurricane Ivan in August 2005.
— A landslip in Lituya Bay, Alaska, on 9 July 1958 created a local tsunami which tore down trees 200ft above sea level. Water directly opposite the landslip site splashed to a height of 1,720ft, tearing down trees even at that height.

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Michael Henderson

The bitter end of bitter

Retailers have begun to publish their sales figures for the pre-Christmas period. Where are we spending more, and where less?

Type of shop	Annual change in spending to end of November
Predominantly food	+2.9%
Household goods	-3%
Petrol stations	-4%
Internet and mail order	+14.1%

Source: ONS

The young and the reckless

Some patients are turning up at Accident and Emergency 50 times a year, it was revealed. Who attends A&E?

Age group	% of A&E visitors
0–9	14%
10–19	13%
20–29	16%
30–39	12%
40–49	12%
50–59	9%
60–69	8%
70–79	7%
80+	8%
Age unrecorded	1%
51% were male, 48% female, with 1% whose sex went unrecorded

Source: Health and Social Care Information Centre

Quick and dirty

A stretch of the M1 near Rotherham is to have a 60mph speed limit to cut pollution. How much more pollution does a car emit at 110kph (69mph) than 100kph (62mph)?

PETROL CAR
Carbon monoxide	+40%
Hydrocarbons	+11%
Nitrous oxides	-5%
DIESEL CAR
Carbon monoxide	-7%
Hydrocarbons	-2%
Nitrous oxides	+20%
PM (soot) particles	+7%