The Great Smog of 1952
- Published
How did weather patterns at the time contribute to this deadly event? Sarah Keith-Lucas explains.
Air pollution and smog have plagued our skies since the Industrial Revolution and the rise of factories bellowing smoke into the atmosphere.
On 5 December 1952 the Great Smog blanketed and engulfed London. This deadly weather event lasted for four days, killing thousands.
The cold and wintry weather in the weeks prior meant that people were burning large quantities of coal in their homes to keep warm and as a result huge amounts of smoke were streaming into the air.
Under normal conditions, smoke would rise into the atmosphere and disperse, but a high pressure system was hanging over the country. This pushed air downwards, creating an inversion layer that trapped the smog close to the ground.
With days of more pollutants building up close to the ground, then the smoggy layer became toxic and very dense.
The police used fire-lit torches to direct traffic, which often came to a standstill
Atmospheric conditions across the capital remained perfect for the smog to linger and build. With visibility dropping to just a few metres, conditions continued to worsen over the coming days.
The smog became so thick in places that it was impossible for people to even see their feet.
Pedestrians struggled to see through the dense fog, as seen here in Piccadilly
For four days this toxic mix of fog and pollutants continued to build across the capital until weather patterns finally changed. The blocking high pressure finally broke down to allow Atlantic weather systems and fresh air off the ocean to clear and disperse the choking air.
This brought an end to the Great Smog event but prompted authorities to issue the Clean Air Act of 1956, regulating both industrial and domestic smoke, to prevent a situation this dangerous occurring again.
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- Published4 November 2019
