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London Daily News   Tuesday 30/7/13

HEATWAVE PARALYSES LONDON

Despite a succession of upwardly revised projections, the climate continues to heat up sooner than expected. The previous British of 41C (106F) recorded during the last year’s notorious Olympic heatwave of five consecutive days over 38C, was eclipsed yesterday by a new national record maximum of 43.2C (nearly 110F) in London and several locations throughout the Home Counties. Figures recorded at Kew and Heathrow showed London experienced nearly 11 hours of temperatures over 38C and almost two hours of 43C heat. The temperatures recorded were significantly higher than expected in the heatwave alert from the Met Office.

The evening rush brought the city to a standstill as the underground sections of the Tube network were declared unsafe due to unofficial readings in excess of 55C (130F). Overland routes experienced buckled tracks and multiple points failure. All rail services were suspended and, inevitably, conditions were declared too unsafe for London buses.

The Metropolitan Police initiated an emergency plan that required all hotels and B&B establishments to accommodate commuters. Public and civic spaces with air-conditioning were opened to anyone needing shelter. The second level of the plan that all private households within the North and South Circular roads accommodate stranded citizens was not implemented.

By nightfall the Met announced that all available public and private transport should be used to get Londoners home. Although temperatures and humidity remained high, sporadic cloud cover from the North Sea brought relief and the operation was completed successfully.

Police praised the public for their composure. The majority of emergencies were medical. Greater London experienced a huge drop in crime

Heathrow was given permission to operate throughout the night to catch up with the enormous backlog of flights. Many were diverted to continental cities with equipment and infrastructure accustomed to severe temperatures.

For much of the day the M25 was paralysed. Radio messages advised motorists to avoid all unnecessary journeys but added that cars in difficulties should be abandoned by drivers and passengers. The Mayor then issued a radio plea for drivers to look out for others in distress as the emergency services were stretched to the limit. As jams built up, huge crowds huddled in the shade of motorway overpasses with many more seeking shelter in services, which are limited on the M25.

As the sun set, the bridges over the depleted Thames became gathering places for crowds eager to catch the merest hint of a breeze. Many of the Londoners employed at Canary Wharf headed east towards the Thames barrier yesterday afternoon to catch any cooling effects coming from the river’s estuary.

London yesterday through to early today:

0900 29.4 (85F)
1000 32.2
1030 35.3
1100 37.0
1130 38.1 (100F)
1200 39.4
1230 39.8
1300 40.7
1330 41.1
1400 42.1
1430 42.7
1500 43.1
1512 43.2 (109.8F)
1530 43.1
1600 43.0
1700 42.7       
1800 41.1
1900 40.6
2000 40.0
2100 38.0 (100F)
2200 36.4
2300 35.3
0000 34.9
0100 33.2
0503 29.7 (86F)
0600 31.2

Figures courtesy of the Met Office