Spring 2011 United Kingdom heat wave

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The Spring of 2011 in the United Kingdom was exceptional for the warm weather which occurred during April and the dry weather which was persistent during March and April in certain parts of the UK. April was statistically the warmest and driest in the country since records began in 1910. [1] There was a contrast between north-western parts of the UK which received substantial amounts of rainfall and south-eastern parts which received very little. As lack of rainfall continued in many parts during May, concerns arose that the country could submit to drought.

Drought extended period when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply

A drought or drouth is a natural disaster of below-average precipitation in a given region, resulting in prolonged shortages in the water supply, whether atmospheric, surface water or ground water. A drought can last for months or years, or may be declared after as few as 15 days. It can have a substantial impact on the ecosystem and agriculture of the affected region and harm to the local economy. Annual dry seasons in the tropics significantly increase the chances of a drought developing and subsequent bush fires. Periods of heat can significantly worsen drought conditions by hastening evaporation of water vapour.

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High pressure was the cause for the warm, dry weather experienced during April. [1] A high temperature of 27.8°C was recorded on 23 April at Wisley, Surrey, the highest temperature recorded in April in the UK since 1949.[ citation needed ] Thus, the Central England Temperature for the month was 3.7°C above the 1971-2000 average, and daily maximum temperatures were up to 6°C higher than average.[ citation needed ]

Wisley village in the United Kingdom

Wisley is a village and civil parish in Surrey, England between Cobham and Woking, in the Borough of Guildford. It is the home of the Royal Horticultural Society's Wisley Garden. The River Wey runs through the village and Ockham and Wisley Commons form a large proportion of the parish on a high acid heathland, which is a rare soil type providing for its own types of habitat. It has a standard weather monitoring station, which has recorded some national record high temperatures.

Surrey County of England

Surrey is a subdivision of the English region of South East England in the United Kingdom. A historic and ceremonial county, Surrey is also one of the home counties. The county borders Kent to the east, East and West Sussex to the south, Hampshire to the west, Berkshire to the northwest, and Greater London to the northeast.

Drought

Only 78 mm of rainfall fell in total over England from March to May, and some Eastern parts received only 20 mm.[ citation needed ] The lack of rainfall throughout the season in many parts caused flowing in rivers across England and Wales to become very low. The dry conditions had an adverse effect on wildlife and for water companies. Farming was also affected, with yield from arable crops at risk and increased cost of animal feed for livestock farmers. The dry weather also caused parched ground, and strong winds caused forest and moorland fires. [2] However, rainfall in early May helped to regain control over these issues. In June 2011, the East Midlands and East Anglia were declared to be suffering from drought conditions. As a result, restrictions were enforced on the extraction of water from rivers for irrigation purposes. [3] However, substantial rainfall fell in these areas for the rest of the month, which helped to ease the situation.[ citation needed ]

England Country in north-west Europe, part of the United Kingdom

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to the west and Scotland to the north-northwest. The Irish Sea lies west of England and the Celtic Sea lies to the southwest. England is separated from continental Europe by the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south. The country covers five-eighths of the island of Great Britain, which lies in the North Atlantic, and includes over 100 smaller islands, such as the Isles of Scilly and the Isle of Wight.

Wales Country in northwest Europe, part of the United Kingdom

Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in 2011 of 3,063,456 and has a total area of 20,779 km2 (8,023 sq mi). Wales has over 1,680 miles (2,700 km) of coastline and is largely mountainous, with its higher peaks in the north and central areas, including Snowdon, its highest summit. The country lies within the north temperate zone and has a changeable, maritime climate.

East Midlands Place in England

The East Midlands is one of nine official regions of England at the first level of NUTS for statistical purposes. It consists of Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire and Rutland. The region has an area of 15,627 km2 (6,034 sq mi), with a population over 4.5 million in 2011. There are five main urban centres, Derby, Leicester, Lincoln, Northampton and Nottingham. Others include Boston, Skegness, Chesterfield, Corby, Grantham, Hinckley, Kettering, Loughborough, Mansfield, Newark-on-Trent and Wellingborough.

See also

References

Met Office United Kingdoms national weather service

The Met Office is the United Kingdom's national weather service. It is an executive agency and trading fund of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy led by CEO, Penelope Endersby, who took on the role as Chief Executive in December 2018, the first woman to do so. The Met Office makes meteorological predictions across all timescales from weather forecasts to climate change.

  1. 1 2 "2011 is UK's second warmest year on record - Met Office". BBC. 30 December 2011. Retrieved 11 January 2012.
  2. ↑ Forest fires: Wind and sun causing havoc. BBC News. 3 May 2011. Retrieved 5 December 2011.
  3. ↑ Parts of England officially facing drought conditions. BBC News. 10 June 2011. Retrieved 5 December 2011.
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