The Science Behind Heathrow’s Record Temperatures
Jackie Reddy August 02, 2018
London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR) has set several records for high temperatures during the summer months over the last few years. Depending on how often you travel through the world’s busiest airport, the science behind Heathrow’s record temperatures may come as a surprise.
The Continent may be sizzling in record summer heat, but on the island of Britain, it’s London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR) – Europe’s busiest airport in terms of passenger traffic – that is notable for its recent run of high temperatures.
According to the BBC, the hottest July temperature in the UK was recorded at LHR back in the summer of 2015, when the thermometer peaked at 36.7C (98F). Likewise, LHR saw record temps of 34.5C (94.1F) in the summer of 2017 and just last week, it registered 35C (95F) on the tarmac.
The cause behind these high temps at LHR, explains Paul Williams, Professor of Atmospheric Science at the University of Reading, is due to its position within an urban heat island.
London – just like any other city – retains heat and this, he says, can result in increased temperatures. Additionally, the airport complex itself is comprised of black asphalt runways as well as multiple buildings and it’s these structures that are thought to be a contributing factor to these record temperatures.
The Met Office, the country’s national weather service, also observes that – because of LHR’s inland location – these high temperatures remain unmitigated by a coastal breeze.
There are, however, multiple environmental factors that can help boost temperatures to record levels.
Speaking from the BBC‘s own weather center, meteorologist Gareth Harvey reminds readers that even soil type can have an impact on temperatures. As a natural insulator, sand can help boost heat levels, “…so the heating effect of sunshine is stored in the top layer only, which gets very hot and then warms the air,” he said.
And yet the airports in India during the summer months have less issues
It could also be that they are saving on air conditioning costs in the first lounges its almost always uncomfortably warm and most staff seem to have a standard excuse - its warm outside. How is it possible that the gulf countries are able to cool their airports and heathrow is unable to do the same?
36 C? When I lived in Phoenix, they called that "March." PHX Sky Harbor goes into special heat warning irregular operations at 50 C.