Here in the UK we've had some of the worst downpours in decades thanks to Storm Dennis, and there's more heavy rain forecast over the next few days, but could this extreme weather result in an increase in paranormal activity or does it dampen the spirits?





With nearly 120 flood warnings already in place, the press are now reporting that over the coming days parts of the UK could be hit by a month's worth of rain in just 24 hours. While the rain keeps most of us indoors, could the long standing connection between hauntings and water be encouraging ghosts to come out?





Extreme weather conditions are often blamed for a spike in paranormal activity. The 2018 summer heatwave was one of the hottest British summers in memory, but according to some ghost hunters , as the temperature shot up, so did the number of reports of ghostly goings-on.





Thunderstorms are also said to heighten paranormal activity and there are anecdotal claims that more paranormal incidents are reported during thunderstorms.





A strike of lightning delivers about one billion joules of energy, which is enough to power a 60 watt lightbulb for six months, and paranormal investigators think that all of this energy being discharged into the atmosphere could give a spirit the energy it needs to manifest or make its presence known.





Another possibility is that ghosts just come out to watch the storm in the same way we do. Perhaps they're simply awoken by the loud crashes of thunder and flashes of light. The living can't resist moving to the nearest window to watch a good storm, so why should the dead be any different?





Storm Dennis has been less about lightning and more about rain - lots of rain. There are some paranormal theories that suggest that all this precipitation could also be causing us to experience more supernatural activity.





One theory that could be relevant is that ghosts are attracted to water and that locations that are close to a source of water is more likely to be haunted - properties next to a well or near a static body of water, for example. However, it's flowing water that is said to be a major conductor of spiritual energy, so a property next to a river or with water flowing beneath it has a very high haunting potential.





Falling water in the form of rain is also a source of energy. When moisture rises into the atmosphere work is done against the force of gravity. The laws of physics tell us that it now has "gravitational potential energy," but when the moisture then falls as rain the gravitational potential energy is converted to kinetic energy. Each raindrop is equivalent to about 12 milliwatts of power. When the raindrop hits the ground its energy is converted into other forms, including the vibrations that makes the patter of rain that we hear.







Going back centuries, ghosts have been strongly associated with rivers, lakes, and wells, as well as times when there's an increase of moisture in the air, during heavy fog, on a humid summer evening, and of course during a rainstorm. The one thing we have at the moment is plenty of water around us. Several rivers around the UK have burst their banks and more than 1,500 homes and businesses have been affected by flooding.





Not only are buildings in a close proximity of water, they have water settled on their roofs, sheets of water running down the walls, and in some cases water dripping from the ceiling.





Distant heavy rain can also cause infrasound, ultra-low frequency vibrations that are often associated with the paranormal, both as a potential cause of hauntings, and as a possible rational explanation for misdiagnose hauntings. This is because infrasound vibrations have been known to cause people to report discomfort in the form of disorientation, feeling panicked, and an increased heart rate and blood pressure. In extreme cases infrasound has been attributed to feelings of depression, a general feeling of unease, as well as visions of apparitions.