London great fog

Jackeline Guadalupe González Ramírez

At the time of 1952, the climate
in the British capital was
characterized by being very
cold. Therefore, Londoners
burned coal in their fireplaces
incessantly to keep warm.
Added to the low temperatures
was that the wind stopped,
creating a great fog that did not
allow passers-by to see their
feet.
This great fog was not a natural
phenomenon of the atmosphere. It
had occurred because water vapor
adhered to the coal particles, causing
dark and heavy clouds. Furthermore,
on December 5 of that same year an
anticyclone settled over London, so
cold air was trapped beneath the hot
air.
As the air was poisoned, London saw an increase
in deaths and hospitalizations related to
pneumonia and bronchitis. This fact caused
England to enact a Clean Air Act four years later.