A conference to celebrate 100 years since the birth of pioneering climate scientist Hubert Lamb, who founded the University of East Anglia's (UEA) Climatic Research Unit, is taking place at the university.

Eastern Daily Press: The UEA Climate Research Unit prepares to host a conference on the climate to celebrate the 100th birthday of the late Hubert Lamb. The Director of the UEA Climate Research Unit, Professor Phil Jones at the unit. Picture: Denise BradleyThe UEA Climate Research Unit prepares to host a conference on the climate to celebrate the 100th birthday of the late Hubert Lamb. The Director of the UEA Climate Research Unit, Professor Phil Jones at the unit. Picture: Denise Bradley (Image: copyright: Archant 2013)

The Hubert Lamb Centenary Meeting will see eminent meteorologists and climatologists from around Europe present a day of talks which highlight his ground-breaking early work and show how climate science has progressed.

The event includes an exhibition of posters relating to his research and previously unseen archive material, much of which focuses on the impact of historical meteorological events in Norfolk.

Material includes handwritten weather records which show an entry for rainfall on Norwich's wettest day 101 years ago and information about a tropical hurricane that killed Elinor Drury in Thetford in 1703 as well as Lamb's handwritten weather maps and charts.

Dr Richard Cornes, from UEA's School of Environmental Sciences, will talk about early instrumental data and North Sea Storms and Prof Giles Foden, from the School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing, will give a lecture on the links between second world war meteorology and literature.

Climatic Research Unit (CRU) director Prof Phil Jones said: 'Hubert Lamb did more than any other scientist of his generation to make the academic community aware of climate change and variability. He was the founding director of CRU back in 1972 – at a time when the study of climate change was still in its infancy.

'At that time very little was known about climate change. Hubert believed the world was gradually cooling, but building on his pioneering work we now know the opposite is true, and that between 1880 and now the world has warmed significantly.

'We are very much looking forward to this celebration of what would be Hubert's 100th birthday.'

The exhibition of posters and archive material will be on public display at the Millennium Library in Norwich from September 17–25.