---
title: "Great Smog of London"
year: 1952
country: "United Kingdom"
canonical: "https://recap.at/1952/great-smog-london-1952"
slug: "great-smog-london-1952"
recapType: "global_event"
startDate: "1952-12-05"
endDate: "1952-12-09"
---

# Great Smog of London

> The lethal smog killed thousands and catalyzed the 1956 Clean Air Act, marking the birth of modern environmental regulation.

## Summary

The Great Smog was a severe air pollution event that affected London, England, in December 1952. A period of unusually cold weather, combined with an anticyclone and windless conditions, collected airborne pollutants—mostly arising from the use of coal—to form a thick layer of smog over the city. It lasted from Friday, 5 December to Tuesday, 9 December 1952, then dispersed quickly when the weather changed.

## Sources

- [Great Smog of London](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Smog_of_London) - Wikipedia

---
Canonical: https://recap.at/1952/great-smog-london-1952