Case study - UK 2022 heatwave Flashcards
When was the UK heatwave?
16th - 19th July 2022
Describe the weather during this heatwave?
Period of dry weather
The temperature exceeded 40 degrees C for the first time in UK
The temperature exceeded 35 degrees C for the first time in Scotland
Why did the UK experience such hot weather during the July heatwave?
Lots of heat came from the Iberian Peninsula, Spain and Portugal and large air mass pushed from North Africa
Explain the heat dome effect
- A mass of warm air builds up in still and dry summer conditions
- High pressure in the atmosphere pushes the warm air down
- The air is compressed and gets even hotter
How did the heat dome effect affect the UK?
- Result of a combination of factors
- High pressure system pushed North by storm Alex and air mass from North Africa bringing heat and dust
Social effects of the heatwave?
- More illness eg. heatstroke so more deaths
- Hospitals are busier
- Disrupted rail services due to overhead cables sagging. People may struggle to get to work
- Cancelled trains, no trains on the east coast main line from King’s Cross station on 19 July 2022
- Spike in 999
- Care workers put under intense pressure
- Schools remained open but for shorter length
- Flights suspended from Luton airport
Economic effects of heatwave
- More cost for energy, more water, more fans
- Damage to railway, high cost to fix
- Less water, droughts so crops died, less profit
- Cancellation of flights
- Wennington, 19 homes, 12 stables, 5 cars and more that 20 hectares of grassland caught fire
Environmental effects of heatwave
- Rivers polluted, more people wild water swimming
- Littering on beaches, seas and rivers
- Temperatures hit a new record first time above 40 degrees C in UK and 35 degrees C in Scotland
- Hot dry weather lead to droughts
- Limit water supplies, hosepipe plans
- Augath falls, North Yorkshire
- Wildfires in Studland heath Dorset
How to reduce the risk during the event?
- Hosepipe ban
- Met office issued a red weather warning for extreme heat
- UK health security agency + Met office issued a level 4 alert
- Network rail issued a ‘do not travel’ warning
- Fire brigade
- Luton airport, suspended flights
- Government issued a national emergency
How to reduce risks in the long term?
- Working to reduce climate change
- Implementing changed in out lives to prevent climate change
- Air conditioning installed but only using reliable energy resources
What is mitigation?
Actions to reduce or prevent the causes of climate change
What is mitigation?
Actions to reduce or prevent climate change
