A University of Gloucestershire associate professor has warned that our changing climate will become more unpredictable, making it difficult for farmers to adapt to conditions and causing food and drink prices to hike for consumers.

With expertise in agricultural transition and developing solutions to complex issues, Chris Short, University of Gloucestershire Associate Professor in Environmental Governance, has been exploring the impact of unseasonal weather.

It has been suggested by experts in the field that the way our climate is changing – experiencing intense conditions and unseasonal weather (weather conditions that are not typical for a particular time of year) – is becoming the new norm.

Chris Short, from the University's Countryside and Community Research Institute (CCRI), said: "We can predict that conditions will become unpredictable. So, those warmer, drier periods will last longer, and they'll be hotter, and those wetter periods will become wetter and more intense. And they won't necessarily come at the times of year you expect them to come, so we will see much more unseasonal weather."

Chris' comments come as Gloucestershire has officially become the driest part of the West. According to the Met Office, the county has seen the lowest average rainfall over the past 30 years compared to other counties in the region, with an average annual rainfall of 839.75mm. The Met Office also report that spring 2025 has been the driest since 1976.

For the county's agriculture, intense conditions are forcing farmers to adapt, with Chris commenting: "Looking at current weather predictions, it's going to be very dry for long periods of time, meaning it will be difficult for plants to get the moisture that they need to survive.

"Farmers are looking at what's happening with the climate and making changes, for example in the types of crops they are growing, but adapting is not going to be straightforward.

"In drier climates, wine production thrives, but creating a vineyard is a long-term project. The vines won't come to fruition for many years and that's a major upfront investment. So, it is possible to adapt, but it's not easy."

Chris, who joined the CCRI over 30 years ago and has considerable experience in research addressing innovative approaches to issues such as environmental decline, further explained that the changing climate will have impacts for consumers.

Chris said: "For consumers, this means that we should expect that the cost of food and drink will fluctuate. The key is to try and buy things that are in season, try and buy local and there's no harm in growing your own. It helps you understand how difficult it can be.

"Growing your own gives you a taste of what's happening and connects you with the environment around you. I understand not everyone has the means to do that, but even a window box is a start and there are allotments across the county. The important thing is to get involved, perhaps try and join a local climate action group – it helps you to understand more about climate change and to consider different solutions and can be very rewarding."