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Here’s How People In Great Britain Are Reacting To The Record-Breaking Heatwave (32 Pics)
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Summer reached its boiling point - literally - this past week across Western Europe. The United Kingdom’s Met Office tweeted that London’s Heathrow Airport reached 98.4 degrees (36.9°C), a new record for July. While the heat in Cambridge, England, rose to 100.5 (38°C) degrees. This marks only the second time triple-digit temperatures have been recorded in the United Kingdom. If you're not familiar with the British summer - its usual average temperatures are around 64.4 (18°C) degrees throughout the hottest month of July. So if those from Texas like to scoff at the seemingly low tolerance that the British have for heat, remember that these weather conditions are far from what they're used to.
The U.K was only one of many countries to shatter extreme weather records. Paris, France reported 108 degrees (42.6°C), its highest temperature ever this week. "Climate change has increased the likelihood and severity of heatwave episodes across Europe," the UK's national weather service said to the BBC. Residents have had to get creative to keep cool and keep themselves laughing despite the devilishly hot summer. Scroll down below to check out some hot weather memes to enjoy next to a fan while you're enduring this meteorology phenomenon, and don't forget to upvote your favs!
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My cat was actually outside when I kept calling her she just ignored me and carried on enjoying the 38°C with no breeze and utter humidity. She loved it. (she drank loads of water with ice cubes in it, which makes it have a "normal" temperature don't worry she was hydrated)
This guy is an absolute baller
Tales of heatwave madness - the floor is lava
Now if there’s a Balrog in your room, you really need to worry.
Nice to know there's one place on my body that I didn't sweat from during this heatwave
How to keep your pussy cool in a heatwave - ice balls.
Sun, deckchair, beachball, sand (from a bag) middle of Blackfriars Bridge, as you do
If he had tea in a flask and a packet of egg sarnies, then he'd really be British.
It's nice being a guy... as long as you are brave enough, nothing is stopping you from dressing like this in some parts of the world
The fountain’s probably managed by the same kind of evil people who install bird spikes in trees. Bastards.
Or a wet sheet hanging in front of a fan will give an air con effect
Note: this post originally had 72 images. It’s been shortened to the top 32 images based on user votes.
In the U.S., most places with very hot summer temps, i.e., Southern California, Arizona, Texas, Florida, etc., all have air conditioning. Europe, for the most part, doesn't as they haven't really needed to. So there's no respite - no places to turn to in order to escape the heat and humidity. People need to remember that before labeling them all as 'wimps'. If your AC went out in 108 temps, you would be screaming to high heaven, too.
Also even without AC I live in Cali and can just tolerate the heat because I'm adapted to the climate. It's really unfair to call people wimps when they haven't had a chance to adapt too.
I'm also from California but I've spent over half my life in Barcelona. What gets me is the humidity here... It's not dry heat. It's wet, sticky heat. :-(
@Nadine idk if you'll see this, but I am frequently in humidity because I travel to the Midwest a lot, and I totally agree!
Yeah i agree with you, from SoCal' myself. I find anything above 100-105 Fahrenheit (38-41C) is when it gets uncomfortable. Were i'm at it pretty much never dips below 95F (35C) for roughly 6 months straight and hovers well above that. People do eventually get used to the heat. People in these parts of Europe just aren't used this type on consistent temperature. Most of their buildings keep heat in actually.
I'm in Texas and I just installed a 70", yes 70" 8 blade fan in my room. I love it and keep it on high. It's so strong that it feels like a 10 - 15 mph (25kph) wind.
People in the UK can always just stand inside the doorway of Marks & Spencer for instant relief (if you can still find one)
Absolutely agree= we live in Tucson but often go to Florence Italy (family). A/c and 110 f in Tucson? Yuck, but doable. No a/c and 92 f in Firenze? Horrific! Feels like you're wearing a hot wet wool blanket. No relief other than showers.
I just find it entertaining since the rest of the world makes fun of the US air conditioner habit. This is just a taste of why that is.
actually, ac is in NYC but that can get really cold and really hot. once it was like negative something Fahrenheit but the other day it was 101 Fahrenheit (ooh ooh)
Florida was considered uninhabitable until air conditioning was invented here. The first units are now in museums of course.
I don’t use central air conditioning and I am in one of the most hot and humid areas of the United States. I think you oversimplify the issue. Those Europeans just aren’t used to this. They don’t have the experience or even the genetics to be prepared, on top of having no AC. I’m Iranian American, a 96 degree day is tolerable for me with or without AC, as long as I can put my hair up and run a fan. I don’t blame the Europeans for being hot, especially not Londoners. They should anticipate this will happen again every summer though, and buy some window ACs and ceiling fans. That’s all I use and I’m fine.
Plus air conditioning is an f-ing nightmare for the planet and shouldn't be encouraged.
A/C is not harmful! They are only when they leak. Your fridge is in the same boat, don't whine with wrong info.
I assume you have a heater? Can't be much better.
Psh, try to take my AC away from me in FL... I'd fight to the death.
Why is that, and what would you suggest to do instead? Fans only? What about indoor air conditioning towers that don’t use coolant?
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So most countries in Europe do not need ac? Haha man where your from being so ignorant, USA? Even we in Sweden need ac.
No, we don't. Normal people don't have ac in their homes and you bloody well know this.
...Not giving the best impression of Swedes.
For everyone who lives in a country with a really warm climate and is used to even higher temperatures, I just want to say this: in many parts of Europe we are not used to very high temperatures and our buildings, etc. are therefore not equipped to cope with this. So if you think it's silly to whine above 98.4 degrees (36.9 ° C); come here and see for yourself how it feels.
Additionally, it's not only about the temperature itself, it's also about humidity. Summers by the Adriatic Sea vs. summers in and around Seoul. *sigh*
I live in Atlanta and I can tell you quite a few things about humidity!
I'm a lucky girl this year! Portugal coast is not too hot this year. I'm celebrating in here, Lisbon. I always suffer a lot. No matter if we're used to it. We are not.
True. We regularly have temperatures in excess of 30 deg in summer, but we would freeze to death if our winters were as cold as Europe- we already complain when it goes into single digits.
Unfortunately the winters around here are no real winters anymore. Starting too late, often end too early. It's been years since we had really snowy days in Berlin. :(
I would love to see but cant afford to. 98.4 sounds quite lovely.
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Sounds like Europe needs to be smarter. I have zero sympathy for a society that didnt plan well.
But we do plan! For cold weather! Because usually, it's cold! This heat is ridiculous. It never gets this hot.
Like parts of usa when it snows...
That's nothing, "Insert other place name" is much hotter, it gets up to "Insert hotter temperature". Saved all the boring people time and effort.
In the U.S., most places with very hot summer temps, i.e., Southern California, Arizona, Texas, Florida, etc., all have air conditioning. Europe, for the most part, doesn't as they haven't really needed to. So there's no respite - no places to turn to in order to escape the heat and humidity. People need to remember that before labeling them all as 'wimps'. If your AC went out in 108 temps, you would be screaming to high heaven, too.
Also even without AC I live in Cali and can just tolerate the heat because I'm adapted to the climate. It's really unfair to call people wimps when they haven't had a chance to adapt too.
I'm also from California but I've spent over half my life in Barcelona. What gets me is the humidity here... It's not dry heat. It's wet, sticky heat. :-(
@Nadine idk if you'll see this, but I am frequently in humidity because I travel to the Midwest a lot, and I totally agree!
Yeah i agree with you, from SoCal' myself. I find anything above 100-105 Fahrenheit (38-41C) is when it gets uncomfortable. Were i'm at it pretty much never dips below 95F (35C) for roughly 6 months straight and hovers well above that. People do eventually get used to the heat. People in these parts of Europe just aren't used this type on consistent temperature. Most of their buildings keep heat in actually.
I'm in Texas and I just installed a 70", yes 70" 8 blade fan in my room. I love it and keep it on high. It's so strong that it feels like a 10 - 15 mph (25kph) wind.
People in the UK can always just stand inside the doorway of Marks & Spencer for instant relief (if you can still find one)
Absolutely agree= we live in Tucson but often go to Florence Italy (family). A/c and 110 f in Tucson? Yuck, but doable. No a/c and 92 f in Firenze? Horrific! Feels like you're wearing a hot wet wool blanket. No relief other than showers.
I just find it entertaining since the rest of the world makes fun of the US air conditioner habit. This is just a taste of why that is.
actually, ac is in NYC but that can get really cold and really hot. once it was like negative something Fahrenheit but the other day it was 101 Fahrenheit (ooh ooh)
Florida was considered uninhabitable until air conditioning was invented here. The first units are now in museums of course.
I don’t use central air conditioning and I am in one of the most hot and humid areas of the United States. I think you oversimplify the issue. Those Europeans just aren’t used to this. They don’t have the experience or even the genetics to be prepared, on top of having no AC. I’m Iranian American, a 96 degree day is tolerable for me with or without AC, as long as I can put my hair up and run a fan. I don’t blame the Europeans for being hot, especially not Londoners. They should anticipate this will happen again every summer though, and buy some window ACs and ceiling fans. That’s all I use and I’m fine.
Plus air conditioning is an f-ing nightmare for the planet and shouldn't be encouraged.
A/C is not harmful! They are only when they leak. Your fridge is in the same boat, don't whine with wrong info.
I assume you have a heater? Can't be much better.
Psh, try to take my AC away from me in FL... I'd fight to the death.
Why is that, and what would you suggest to do instead? Fans only? What about indoor air conditioning towers that don’t use coolant?
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
So most countries in Europe do not need ac? Haha man where your from being so ignorant, USA? Even we in Sweden need ac.
No, we don't. Normal people don't have ac in their homes and you bloody well know this.
...Not giving the best impression of Swedes.
For everyone who lives in a country with a really warm climate and is used to even higher temperatures, I just want to say this: in many parts of Europe we are not used to very high temperatures and our buildings, etc. are therefore not equipped to cope with this. So if you think it's silly to whine above 98.4 degrees (36.9 ° C); come here and see for yourself how it feels.
Additionally, it's not only about the temperature itself, it's also about humidity. Summers by the Adriatic Sea vs. summers in and around Seoul. *sigh*
I live in Atlanta and I can tell you quite a few things about humidity!
I'm a lucky girl this year! Portugal coast is not too hot this year. I'm celebrating in here, Lisbon. I always suffer a lot. No matter if we're used to it. We are not.
True. We regularly have temperatures in excess of 30 deg in summer, but we would freeze to death if our winters were as cold as Europe- we already complain when it goes into single digits.
Unfortunately the winters around here are no real winters anymore. Starting too late, often end too early. It's been years since we had really snowy days in Berlin. :(
I would love to see but cant afford to. 98.4 sounds quite lovely.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Sounds like Europe needs to be smarter. I have zero sympathy for a society that didnt plan well.
But we do plan! For cold weather! Because usually, it's cold! This heat is ridiculous. It never gets this hot.
Like parts of usa when it snows...
That's nothing, "Insert other place name" is much hotter, it gets up to "Insert hotter temperature". Saved all the boring people time and effort.