Lawrence Jenkins wrote:
Abnormal Southerly Jet Stream to blame?

Seems so

http://www.metcheck.com/V40/UK/FREE/jetstream.asp


Nope.

Pressure from tourism, bad planning laws and enforcement (because that
will hold on "progress"), cutting down trees, building over water
streams, flood plains and even over small rivers that were also used to
dump rubbish. Some of this can clearly be seen on this satellite image [1].

Finally constantly ignoring people that have been warning about the
likelihood of an event like this for years, they were labelled
"alarmists" and "Luddites". Of course, it is much easier to blame the
weather.

[1]
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=32.685085,-16.933565&num=1&t=h&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=23.875,57.630033&ie=UTF8&ll=32.6783 96,-16.928558&spn=0.099553,0.142822&z=13