| 1995 British Isles heat wave | |
| Start Date: | 28 June 1995 |
| End Date: | 22 August 1995 |
| Areas: | United Kingdom and Ireland |
| Highest Temp C: | 35.2 |
| Highest Temp Location: | Boxworth, Cambridgeshire[1] |
The 1995 British Isles heatwave occurred between late July and late August. It was part of one of the warmest summers recorded in the UK,[2] and one of the warmest Augusts ever recorded in many locations around the UK, as well as being one of the driest summers ever recorded in the UK; many weather stations recorded the summer of 1995 as drier than, or comparable with, the summer of 1976.[2] Ireland was also widely affected by the heatwave with temperatures reaching over 30C in some locations, as well as exceptionally low rainfall throughout the summer.[3]
In the United Kingdom, the heat wave of 1995 currently marks the warmest August on record, and the third-warmest summer overall, behind 1976 and 1826. The CET Central England station recorded a daily mean temperature of 19.2C[4] and a mean daily maximum temperature of 25.1C[5] in August, and a daily mean temperature of 17.37C for the entire summer.[6]
Before the heatwave formed, a mini-heatwave occurred between 28 and 30 June, with a highest temperature recorded during this short period of 33.8C recorded on 30 June 1995 at Barbourne, Worcester.[1] Low rainfall was also widely recorded around the nation during the month of June, many stations reporting less than 50% of its average rainfall, with some locations reporting less than 20%.[2]
| Station | County / UA | June 1995 rainfall amount[7] |
|---|---|---|
| Armagh | County Armagh | 28.9mm |
| Bradford Lister Park | West Yorkshire | 11mm |
| Cardiff Bute Park | Cardiff | 8.9mm |
| Durham | County Durham | 16.2mm |
| Heathrow | Greater London | 12mm |
| Ringway | Greater Manchester | 27.9mm |
| Shawbury | Shropshire | 13.2mm |
| Sheffield | South Yorkshire | 11.3mm |
| Southampton | Southampton | 11.2mm |
| Sutton Bonington | Nottinghamshire | 11.7mm |
| Waddington | Lincolnshire | 17.8mm |
| Whitby | North Yorkshire | 25.6mm |
| Yeovilton | Somerset | 10.8mm |
During the heatwave, many locations around the UK recorded peak temperatures at the start of August. The highest temperature recorded during the heatwave was 35.2C recorded on 1 August 1995 at Boxworth, Cambridgeshire.[1] After this, most of the United Kingdom was still under warm temperatures around or above 25C, until temperatures rose again as high as 33.8C which was recorded at Barbourne, Worcester. Toward the end of the hot spell, temperatures rose up to 30C in many parts of the country. Cheltenham in Gloucestershire recorded three consecutive days above 32C from 20 to 22 August, with the highest temperature at 33.6C on 22 August.
Much of the United Kingdom suffered drought conditions during August, with most parts of the UK recording less than 30% of its average rainfall, and most parts of England less than 20%. Many weather stations around the United Kingdom recorded no days of rain to the value of ≥ 1.0 mm.
After the heat wave ended in August, the east and south of the United Kingdom received high rainfall in September, but another dry spell occurred mainly in the east of the UK. For the rest of 1995, most of the UK received below-average rainfall. Temperatures after the heatwave remained around average for the rest of the year (with further unseasonably warm weather in October), except for a record-breaking cold spell from Christmas to New Year.[11]
While temperatures were lower, Ireland experienced a similar weather pattern to that of the United Kingdom during the summer of 1995.
The Valentia Observatory and the weather station at Phoenix Park both recorded a daily mean temperature of 16.6C, and it was the warmest summer for over a century.
Kilkenny recorded a total of 27 days with temperatures over 25C during the heat wave, compared to the 2.5 days that the town usually records,[12] and was one of the hottest parts of the country during the heatwave, recording a maximum temperature of 30.8C. Like the United Kingdom, Ireland received exceptionally low rainfall, and it was the driest summer on record for the weather stations at Malin Head, Casement Aerodrome and Cork Airport. The overall rainfall recorded during the summer at Phoenix Park was only 65.1mm.[3]
The highest temperature recorded during the heatwave was 31.5C and was measured at Oak Park in County Carlow on 2 August.
| County | Station | August 1995 maximum temperature[13] | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carlow | Oak Park | 31.5C | 2 |
| Clare | Shannon Airport | 29.8C | 17 |
| Cork | Cork Airport | 28C | 3 |
| Kilkenny | Kilkenny | 30.8C | 2 |
| Offaly | Birr | 29.4C | 17 / 18 |
Like the United Kingdom, Ireland experienced drought conditions throughout the summer, which caused problems to potato farmers in rural areas, as they had difficulty watering crops due to water shortages. Several areas around Ireland were also issued with hosepipe bans, and residents were asked not to hose lawns due to drought conditions.