Weather Warning!

~ beetleypete

As most people know, the English love to talk about the weather. It is a conversation starter between strangers, and most people I know follow the weather forecasts on the news with a religious fervour.

Now we really do have something to talk about, as we face the hottest temperature EVER recorded in Britain.

On Monday and Tuesday, temperatures in parts of England are set to reach a possible 41C. That is almost 106F, a heat unheard of in this country and never recorded previously. In the area around Beetley, we are being forecast 39-40C on both days. The last day when it got anywhere near that was on the 17th of June, when we saw 33C in Norfolk.

News reports and weather forecasts are full of dire warnings. They are expecting that thousands of people with underlying health conditions will simply die from the heat. The government has issued a ‘RED ALERT‘ weather warning for the first time in our history, and it comes with a lot of advice on how to ‘survive the heat’.

*Pets should be kept in, and dogs walked before sunrise or after sunset.

*People should make alternative working arrangements to avoid going outside.

*Rail travel will be badly affected as rails will buckle in the heat next week.

*Everyone should drink lots of water, and stay inside if possible.

*Do not wear dark colours, or restrictive clothing.

*Windows and curtains/blinds should be kept closed, to stop sunshine heating up rooms and hot air coming inside the house.

*We should avoid using cars as they will overheat in traffic, as will their drivers.

*Look out for signs of heatstroke if you have to go outside.

*Do not swim in cold lakes or rivers as the change in body temperature could be dangerous.

*Some schools will be either closing during the heatwave, or sending pupils home early.

For those of you who live in countries where such Summer temperatures are normal, you might wonder what all the fuss is about, I understand that.

But you have to consider that Britain is generally geared up for ten months of winter. As a result, houses are mainly brick built, with insulation in the walls and roof spaces. Most of us have carpeted floors, and many of us (me included) do not have airconditioning in the house, or in our cars. Few houses have very large windows to open, and fewer have shutters on the outside to stop the heat from the sun.

Britain was a cold country, and still is for much of the year. If it gets to 25C here (77F) we think it is a ‘hot summer’. Now temperatures are on the rise in summer months, and even winters are slightly warmer. We have not planned ahead. Houses are still being built in the same way, and transport systems have hardly changed in fifty years.

People get so excited by a hot summer that they rush outside to sunbathe on beaches or have barbecues, only to get badly sunburnt.

So the government advice sounds very strange to us. And what of the people who have no choice but to go out? Shop-workers, emergency workers, self-employed trades with jobs booked. My wife has to go to work on both days, as she works for a Doctors’ practice. She cannot do her job from home, or make ‘alternative working arrangements’.

There is going to have to be some future planning to cope with the ever-increasing heat in Summers to come. However, I have not yet heard a single politician coming up with any plan that includes that.

So we will have to see what happens on Monday and Tuesday next week.

86 thoughts on “Weather Warning!”

  2. I hear you friend-That is quite miserable weather. Most people here have air conditioning. I have a small window unit and can barely afford to run it. A box fan makes the difference for me most days and cool showers We are used to hot weather but I can not imagine an increase in temperature as you all are having-best wishes, Michele

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    1. Yesterday was very uncomfortable, Jennie. It was still 98 degrees at 7pm, and remained at 73 overnight. We woke up to 82 at 7 this morning, and it is forecast to be hotter than yesterday. Luckily, it is only going to be for three days.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  6. Pete, we’re gearing up for a week of 90’s in SE Pennsylvania, but we’ve only had one day above 90 before now this summer which I can recall, In our area there are still signs things are “off.” Our winters aren’t as snowy or cold, had no drought here for a few years now, etc. All four of our seasons have changed, and while we’re lucky to be in an area which so far has been insulated from extreme heat, humans and wildlife alike here are definitely noticing some year-round changes to each season.

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    1. A similar situation here, Bruce. Mild winter last year, followed by an unusually hot and dry summer so far this year. The birds were nesting too early, the wasps arrived a month early, and the balance of nature has definitely been disturbed.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  7. I hope we will get through these two hot days well. The worst part for me is the drive home from work because the air conditioning in my car is broken too.

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    1. My car airconditioning broke down years ago. They wanted £700 to fix it, and the old car was only worth £2000 at the time. I didn’t bother to get it fixed. The car is 15 years old now, and worth nothing. But it has done less than 80,000 miles and still runs well. I will keep it until it ‘dies’.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  8. OMG! Here I am complaining at 40 degrees, that too when I live in the hottest part of India. I guess, you should plan to buy an air conditioner next. Weather is getting crazy. After having the wettest year last year, our region is heading toward the driest summer. The rainy season that usually sets in in the middle of June is still avoiding us. God knows what’s happening.

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  10. Wow! We’re all about the weather here too in the Pacific Northwest and were astonished with our own record setting heat wave last year, with temperatures of 113 in Renton. Absolutely unheard of! I guess it’s your turn. 😦 Stay as cool as you can!

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  12. I am surfe that most people will be able to get inventive and will get through the heat emergency alright .. it is those of advanced age and those with disabilities I would be worrying about ….

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    1. I find a trip to Tesco helps in hot weather. No entrance fee, and you can hang around in the A/C for as long as you like. Did you see some good films, Janet?
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  14. I got heat stroke in ’87 picking potatoes in Jersey whilst the temp was 31c, and a few years ago travelled through Europe with no aircon and windows down at 130Km/ph as the mercury reached 38c. So I do not envy your 41. Stay safe and hydrated…I recommend cold beer 🙂

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  16. It’s getting hotter everywhere and the world needs to make adjustments, that is for sure! Speaking as a spoiled Canadian suburbanite, I can’t image coping with a heat wave sans air conditioning! That said, we have travelled extensively in southern Europe, where 40C was not uncommon and A/C was scarce. It was a dry heat and easier to bear than our high humidity. I hope you and your wife can find ways to keep cool, Pete. Rough for her, having to work all day!

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  17. Wow Pete, that’s insane. When we were in Paris it hit 100 degrees one day, and was in the high 90’s during our entire stay in Sicily, Sardinia and Rome…yet the concept of global warming is still debated for reasons that are only political…hope you avoid the heat and have ways to fight back against it.

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    1. Thanks, John. It is undeniable now that the world is hotting up. I used to be one of those who thought it was just ‘cyclical’, but I am now a convert to the reality of climate change. Even last Winter was relatively mild by UK standards.
      I’m sure we can mange for just a few days, and my main priority is making sure Ollie is okay.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  18. Countries that have intense heat regularly are geared up differently and people adjust their life style to cope. When it gets really hot in England, people suffer. At least the government did right by issuing those warnings. To us they may seem obvious, but not if you aren’t used to heat. I recommend very little activity!

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  19. Here in Southern Nevada ,we’re wondering what all the fuss is about. For us, a high of 41° C / 106° F is considered a baseline summer temperature. This month, we’ve been seen highs of over 44° C / 112° F, which is to be expected. What I dread are the handful of days where we tie, or nearly tie, the all-time high of 47° C / 117° F. The good news is that we are at the midpoint of the “season” (May 15 through September 15). I set the thermostat at 28° C / 82° F, but only turn on the A/C when the house temperature rises to 32° C / 90° F. Once the house cools down to the set temperature, I turn it off.

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    1. I suppose you can get used to the heat eventually, if you have a protracted hot spell. I would have trouble sleeping at 28C, I’m sure. Even at 19C overnight, I have a fan running at the end of the bed.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  20. I lived in interior Alaska for years, arguably one of the coldest places in the world….I understand 10 months of winter. We planned for it- houses were designed for it. However, for two months we also became the hottest area in Alaska… temps in the high 90’s after months of negatives. I understand your woo. Stay safe and cool!

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  21. Last June British Columbia had a similar heat wave. 600 people are said to have died. A small town in the southern interior burned down when the temp there was close to 50C. My max temp (in Victoria ) was 38C.

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    1. The previous highest recorded temperature was 3 years ago, Liz.
      ‘The highest ever recorded temperature in Britain was 38.7C (102 Fahrenheit) recorded in Cambridge University Botanic Garden on July 25, 2019’
      90F is considered ‘excessively hot’ over here, so this gradual increase is very unusual.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  23. Do be careful and take the government warnings seriously. It can sneak up on you. Marion Barber III, a 38 year old former football player – young, in shape and recently died in Texas from heat stroke. No one is safe from it.

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      1. Nothing will ever be done about global warming. They’ll talk until they’re blue in the face about it, but that’s as far as it will go. Let’s face it, it’s probably too late now anyway. Something should have been done about it in our youth.

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    2. I have to agree that it is a lot of fuss for two days! I know we are not used to it being so hot and need to taker some precautions, but many people go on holiday to the continent precisely because they enjoy hot weather! And goodness knows how the Aussies manage…

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  26. Stay as cool as possible. We are used to these temps in Spain but we still try not to over-exert ourselves as this make it worse. I believe it will be very hard on folks not used to these high degrees. Especially the elderly. Our dogs like to lay on the bed under the fan all day!

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  27. I don’t think the denizens of north Africa [where it does get a tad warm] worry about wearing dark colours! Also, I don’t like having the windows open when it’s dark because of all the insects which come in—it’s bad enough during the day with all the flies, but it does help. I’m making my usual Saturday curry for teatime 😀 Cheers, Jon.

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    1. We are just not used to it, chuq. The irony is that so many British people flock to foreign countries for summer holidays, places like Spain and Greece where the temperatures are often up to 45C. But two or three hot days here, and everyone is complaining.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  29. I am dreading next week at work, it will ‘only’ get to 33 degrees here, but my work is physical, I wear a black uniform and we’re in a converted farmhouse with thick stone walls, I’ll be sweaty Betty all day. Plus my aircon in the car is kaput! 🤦‍♀️

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  30. I’ve been watching it on our news tonight (Sat night). Yes Britain can get hot. Some good advice given here. I’m glad no one has mentioned “sun-creams”/ They are a con (says this melanoma survivor. Keep out of the sun.
    I can send you over some snow at the mo.
    BTW that big yellow thing we are talking about is actually Boris’ hair as he balloons up into the sky filled with his hot air.

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  32. Pete, It’s not the heat but the humidity that drives me nuts. I’ve been as sweaty as a Kevin Spacey in Crown Court all week. I’m thinking of going to Barbados to escape the heat…

    My top tips for surviving these warmer days are as follows: don’t wear cotton tee shirts, wear linen and enjoy the crumpled look. The humidity will soon take the creases out.
    Keep windows and blinds etc closed all day to keep the heat out and open them after dark to let the cooler air in.
    Open the loft hatch and leave it open. Hot air rises.
    Drink hot tea. Avoid too many iced drinks, it might upset the stomach.
    And finally don’t sweat the small stuff!
    Btw,
    Do they make paddling pools that are dog proof?
    Cheers
    Keith

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    1. Cheers, Keith. I hope all is well with you mate.
      We have a paddling pool, but Ollie will not go in it. He thinks it is some sort of punishment! He likes to stand in the river instead.
      Best wishes, Pete. x

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  33. We had an emergency cascade in the NHS expecting a rise in ‘heathly’ deaths as well as people with underlying conditions. They are trying to put emergency plans in place but with the rise in Covid cases hospital and GPs are already struggling. Next week is going to be difficult all around. I’m not looking forward to the drive to work, or home afterwards. And they still won’t let us have fans in the office, reception or consultation rooms. Wish me luck, stay safe and hydrated x

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  34. “There is going to have to be some future planning to cope with the ever-increasing heat in Summers to come. However, I have not yet heard a single politician coming up with any plan that includes that.” Absolutely….

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