View source for 2013 Great Britain and Ireland heatwave

{{Short description|Weather event in the UK and Ireland}}
The '''2013 heatwave in the United Kingdom and Ireland''' was a period of unusually hot weather primarily in July 2013, with isolated warm days in June and August. A prolonged high pressure system over Great Britain and Ireland caused higher than average temperatures for 19 consecutive days in July, reaching {{convert|33.5|C}} at [[Heathrow]] and [[Northolt]].<ref name="3rd warmest July">{{cite web|url=http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/news/releases/archive/2013/warm-july-stats|title=July finishes in top three sunniest and warmest|publisher=Met Office|date=5 August 2013|access-date=29 October 2013}}</ref>
Following a brief period of cooler weather at the end of July, temperatures temporarily rose again, peaking at {{convert|34.1|C}} on 1 August in the United Kingdom, the warmest the UK had seen since July 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/news/releases/archive/2013/early-summer-stats|title=Warmest, driest and sunniest summer since 2006|publisher=Met Office|date=30 August 2013|access-date=29 October 2013}}</ref> Temperatures reached {{convert|31|C}} in Ireland.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.met.ie/MetAdmin/useruploads/file/clim-2013-sum.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2013-09-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161002044552/http://www.met.ie/MetAdmin/useruploads/file/clim-2013-sum.pdf |archive-date=2016-10-02 |url-status=dead }}</ref> At 19 days, the July heatwave was the longest continuous period of hot weather in the UK since August 1997.<ref name="3rd warmest July"/>
==Timeline==
On 4 July the [[Met Office]] predicted a long spell of warm weather over England and Wales to last until the middle of the month, with the south-east set to experience close to {{convert|30|C}}, and Scotland and Northern Ireland expected to avoid the warmest weather.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/jul/04/heatwave-july-england-wales-forecasters|title=Heatwave to last until mid-July in England and Wales, say forecasters|newspaper=The Guardian|location=London|first=Haroon|last=Siddique|date=4 July 2013|access-date=29 October 2013}}</ref> In the following week temperatures reached {{convert|29.7|C}} on the south coast<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/topics/weather/10168095/Heatwave-expected-to-continue-until-the-weekend.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130711193827/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/topics/weather/10168095/Heatwave-expected-to-continue-until-the-weekend.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 July 2013|title=Heatwave expected to continue until the weekend|newspaper=The Telegraph|publisher=Telegraph Media Group|location=London|first=Claire|last=Carter|date=9 July 2013|access-date=29 October 2013}}</ref> and climbed to {{convert|30|C}} in Northern Ireland, the highest temperature seen there since 2006.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/temperature-soars-to-30c-in-northern-ireland-as-heatwave-is-set-to-continue-29404669.html|title=Temperature soars to 30C in Northern Ireland as heatwave is set to continue|newspaper=Belfast Telegraph|publisher=Independent News & Media|first=Linda|last=Stewart|date=9 July 2013|access-date=29 October 2013}}</ref>
Heat waves in the United Kingdom are declared when the threshold maximum day temperature and a minimum night temperature are exceeded for at least two consecutive days. The threshold temperatures differ region by region, but the average is {{convert|30|C}} for the day and {{convert|15|C}} for the night.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/learning/learn-about-the-weather/weather-phenomena/heatwave|title=Heatwave|publisher=Met Office|access-date=29 October 2013}}</ref> On 12 July, the Met Office released heat wave alerts across much of England, with Yorkshire and the Humber placed in the level three category out of four alert levels.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23283198|title=England heatwave alerts issued|work=BBC News|publisher=BBC|date=12 July 2013|access-date=29 October 2013}}</ref>
On 17 July, the Met Office upgraded London and South East England to level three following the fifth consecutive day of temperatures over {{convert|30|C}}.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/jul/17/met-office-health-alert-level-heatwave|title=Met Office issues heatwave alert as temperatures pass 30C for fifth day|newspaper=The Guardian|location=London|first=Sam|last=Jones|date=17 July 2013|access-date=29 October 2013}}</ref>
The heatwave ended on 23 July with heavy thunderstorms, bringing flooding and lightning strikes that caused delays on motorways and railways, power cuts and fires.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/jul/23/thunderstorms-lightning-break-british-heatwave|title=Thunderstorms and lightning break British heatwave|newspaper=The Guardian|location=London|first=Steven|last=Morris|date=23 July 2013|access-date=29 October 2013}}</ref> Despite this, temperatures still remained above average for the time of year. On 29 July, another spell of thunderstorms hit the UK. [[Manchester]] for example was hit by three thunderstorms in eight hours. Three days later on 1 August, the temperatures rose again, recording the warmest August temperature since 2003.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/britain-sees-hottest-august-temperatures-for-ten-years-as-heatwave-returns--but-just-for-a-day-8741465.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/britain-sees-hottest-august-temperatures-for-ten-years-as-heatwave-returns--but-just-for-a-day-8741465.html |archive-date=2022-05-01 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Britain sees hottest August temperatures for ten years as heatwave returns - but just for a day... |newspaper=The Independent|publisher=Independent Print Limited|location=London|first=Rob|last=Williams|date=1 August 2013|access-date=29 October 2013}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
In some places, 1 August was warmer than all of the days in July. London Heathrow recorded {{convert|34.1|C}}, which exceeded the previous record of {{convert|33.5|C}} which was recorded on 22 July. By 2 August temperatures began to return to normal.
== Impact ==
On 18 July, the [[London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine]] reported that the first 9 days of the heat wave had caused up to an additional 760 deaths in the UK.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/topics/weather/10187140/Heatwave-deaths-760-lives-claimed-by-hot-weather-as-high-temperatures-continue.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130718151806/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/topics/weather/10187140/Heatwave-deaths-760-lives-claimed-by-hot-weather-as-high-temperatures-continue.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 July 2013|title=Heatwave deaths: 760 lives claimed by hot weather as high temperatures continue|newspaper=The Telegraph|publisher=Telegraph Media Group|location=London|first=Rosa|last=Silverman|date=18 July 2013|access-date=29 October 2013}}</ref>
=== Emergency services ===
The heat wave led to rises in both the number of calls to the emergency services and admissions to [[Emergency department|A&E departments]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/topics/weather/10165267/Heatwave-prompts-surge-in-ambulance-calls.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130710220910/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/topics/weather/10165267/Heatwave-prompts-surge-in-ambulance-calls.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=10 July 2013|title=Heatwave prompts surge in ambulance calls|newspaper=The Telegraph|publisher=Telegraph Media Group|location=London|first=Nick|last=Collins|date=7 July 2013}}</ref><ref name="IndependentOverview">{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/heatwave-latest-spike-in-ae-admissions-wildfires-and-melting-roads-as-britain-battles-seventh-day-of-30plus-temperatures-8720611.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/heatwave-latest-spike-in-ae-admissions-wildfires-and-melting-roads-as-britain-battles-seventh-day-of-30plus-temperatures-8720611.html |archive-date=2022-05-01 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Heatwave latest: Spike in A&E admissions, wildfires and melting roads as Britain battles seventh day of 30-plus temperatures|newspaper=The Independent|publisher=Independent Print Limited|location=London|first1=Tom|last1=Bawden|first2=Charlie|last2=Cooper|date=19 July 2013|access-date=29 October 2013}}{{cbignore}}</ref> The large numbers of people using rivers, lakes and the sea to cool off led to a large increase in the number of calls to lifeguards.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23808391|title=Lifeboat rescuers record busiest July since 2006|work=BBC News|publisher=BBC|date=23 August 2013|access-date=29 October 2013}}</ref> The London Fire Brigade reported having to deal with double the number of grass fires in the capital compared to the previous year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.sky.com/story/1117837/heatwave-warning-danger-of-grass-fires|title=Heatwave Warning: Danger Of Grass Fires|work=Sky News|publisher=BSkyB|date=19 July 2013|access-date=29 October 2013}}</ref> Wildfires were also reported in [[Epping Forest]] in Essex, the Dorset coast, the valleys of southern Wales and [[Tentsmuir Forest]] in Scotland.<ref name="IndependentOverview"/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/weather/article3820713.ece|title=Heatwave sparks Britain's worst wildfires for years|newspaper=The Times|location=London|first=Lucy|last=Bannerman|date=20 July 2013|access-date=29 October 2013}}{{subscription required}}</ref>
=== Ecology ===
Following declines in the summer of 2012 due to wet and windy conditions, butterfly numbers saw a surge due to the prolonged warm weather.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/24079279|title=Hot summer helps boost butterflies|work=BBC Nature|publisher=BBC|date=16 September 2013|access-date=29 October 2013}}</ref> The warmer waters around the British coasts led to an increase in the number of jellyfish sightings, particularly the [[Aurelia aurita|moon jellyfish]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/10210511/Warm-weather-sparks-jellyfish-invasion.html|title=Warm weather sparks jellyfish invasion|newspaper=The Telegraph|publisher=Telegraph Media Group|location=London|first=Alice|last=Philipson|date=30 July 2013|access-date=29 October 2013}}</ref>
The death of thousands of fish in rivers and lakes was attributed to the elevated temperatures lowering the amount of oxygen in the water to toxic levels.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.channel4.com/news/tens-of-thousands-of-fish-die-in-recent-heatwave|title=Tens of thousands of fish die in recent heatwave|work=Channel 4 News|publisher=ITN|first=Liam|last=Dutton|date=8 August 2013|access-date=29 October 2013}}</ref>
== References ==
{{reflist }}
{{Heat wave|state=autocollapse}}
{{Weather events in Ireland}}
{{Weather events in the United Kingdom}}
[[Category:2010s heat waves]]
[[Category:2013 natural disasters]]
[[Category:2013 disasters in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:2013 in Ireland]]
[[Category:2013 meteorology]]
[[Category:Heat waves in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Weather events in Ireland]]
[[Category:July 2013 events in Europe]]
[[Category:2010s disasters in Ireland]]