Key impact - Overheating
Recent examples
The summer of 2003 saw the worst heatwave for at least 500 years. Europe experienced record temperatures, and in the UK, a temperature of 38.5°C (100F) was reached in Brogdale, Kent. Maximum temperatures stayed over 32°C for five days in a row from 8-12 August.
The temperature stayed highest for longest in the three regions. In London, the close-packed buildings absorbed heat from the sun in the day, and released it at night, keeping the city noticeably hotter than the countryside (the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect). At times, the temperature difference between city and surroundings reached 9°C.
London's homes weren't designed to keep people cool in these temperatures. Sweltering hot nights kept people awake, and made public transport unpleasant. But for old and vulnerable people, the effects were much more serious.
As well as uncomfortably hot nights, the heatwave brought increases in ozone levels, and trapped dangerous pollutants in the city air.
Emergency admissions to hospitals rose by six per cent, and an extra 2,000 people are estimated to have died over the summer as a result of heat stress.
Climate change predictions suggest that summers like 2003 are going to become a lot more common. By 2050 we may have one every other year, and we'll have more long stretches of hot weather, with temperatures staying high overnight.
Key points
- We may look forward to 'a good hot summer', but heatwaves can be dangerous for old or vulnerable people
- Cities heat up more in the day, and the heat radiates out from buildings overnight
- Many buildings in the UK weren't designed to keep us cool in hot weather, and aren't appropriate for hot summers like 2003. However some simple adaptations can make a big difference
