862Kviews
Here’s How People In Great Britain Are Reacting To The Record-Breaking Heatwave (32 Pics)
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!
This post may include affiliate links.
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.
Probably water conservation, I don't know about london but where I am we have to conserve water during summer :(
Load More Replies...
That's horrible. Let the water back on. Birds need to drink
When it gets too hot here the fountains are also turned off because: 1. the evaporation makes it more expensive to maintain and 2. The area becomes warmer because of the heat and humidity coming off of the water. On bad days the water can be warm enough for tea.
City animals must have a hard time too during this heat wave. I always put water and bird food in dishes outside during heatwaves here, even if I'm in a rural area. You never know, it could save a life.
I always put a cool water bowl front and back yards for any animals during our hot QLD Summers (38c is the norm) and they Always get used! My cats get a dripping wet flannel/face cloth rubbed all over their bodies.
Load More Replies...
I've kept our bird bath full to the brim and a fat wood pigeon sat in it for ages.
So it's good to see them dying from dehydration? What kind of human being are you?
Load More Replies...
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.
Load More Replies...
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*
Load More Replies...
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.
42C in Belgium yesterday, with high humidity so you're sweating enormously, and AC is a luxury for the rich and rarely to be found in standard homes... (or even stores for that matter)
we are renovating our house atm and one of the first thing we bought was AC in the bedrooms and i can say its been heavensent these past days but yeah the store i work at doesnt have any
Load More Replies...
I've been spending a lot of time at the hospital in the past few days and the number of people who are carrying fans in for the patients (and maybe themselves) is quite astounding. The buildings in the UK are designed to keep heat in and when it gets up in the 90s, it is beyond stifling inside.
In Norway it is released warning of flooding for communities around the glacier in Jostedal. It's getting bit too warm.
Yikes! That is terrifying. And sadly, there are still going to be those people who deny that climate change is real.
Load More Replies...
I dont get it. 50 years ago they sent men to the moon and today they still dont know how to install an decent airco in the London Underground!
That's because it's only recently that we've had very hot summers one after the other. It's been like this for three summers now, and likely to be our normal. It will take a while to sort it out as we're not used to it.
Load More Replies...
People need to stop complaining that "Oh, just deal with it, here in (for example) Cali, it's so much hotter!" 1. Over there, AirCon is a very normal thing in your houses, here in the UK and Europe, unless you're stinking rich, it's highly unlikely you'll have an aircon unit, and have to make do with a fan blowing warm air around, maybe you can get a bit of respite putting ice in front of it, but it won't last long. 2. Over in (again, example) California, you're used to the heat, you've always had hot summers. Where I am, up in the Norht of the UK, it hit up to 34 degrees (when I say degrees, I mean celsius), and that was on the coast. Inland was even hotter. I'm 23 years old and I've NEVER known it be above 30 before, hell, I don't ever remember it being as high as 30. We're simply not used to high heat, 25 degrees used to be considered very hot weather for us.
Don't forget that the usage of cars is not as prevalent, either. You normally are on your feet more, walk, cycle or take the public transportation (which also doesn't have AC) to work, transport your groceries by bike/foot and so on. It is different when you can just go from your AC home into your AC car to drive to your AC work.
Load More Replies...
WARNING SIGNS OF HEAT STROKE: if you have any of these conditions, you are in big trouble. Do not ignore these warnings. How to know you have heat exhaustion are about to have a heat stroke: 1)You look down on your arms & see blue, dry skin (you have sweated out), 2)OR, You are dizzy, hot, you are soaked in sweat, disoriented, & exhausted, 3)OR, You look straight out, & it looks like the walls are closing in, 4)OR, You look out & see blue bubbles (small & large) floating in your field of view, 5)OR, You start to cramp in your extremities (arms & legs) Your body is shutting down to these parts to protect vital organs. This will be painful. 6)OR, Your urine is dark golden color or even almost brown, a sure sign of dehydration...
Whereas its one of the coolest summers in Turkey. Not many days we see even 30°C.
Good, the street cats will stay cool. Turkey is 👌
Load More Replies... 4)Check your blood pressure if you have a home monitor. High blood pressure can cause stroke. If you can’t get it down on your own, go to the emergency room. 5)Check your temperature. Adults will pass out if their core temperature goes over 106 degF (41.1 degC). Adults will die if their core temperature goes over 108 degF (42.2 degC). If you can’t get your temperature down, go to the emergency room. 6)REHYDRATE: Slowly drink a quart (or liter) of COLD water. Your body’s reaction will be to throw it up if you are completely dehydrated. Drink as much as you can. You will not be able to urinate if completely dehydrated. Once again, no caffeinated beverages. 7)If you can't keep the cold drink down, GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM IMMEDIATELY!!! No kidding! Do not underestimate the seriousness of the problem or over-estimate your ability to deal with it on your own.
8)CALL FOR HELP. Do not face this alone. If you are very dizzy or disoriented, do not drive yourself to the emergency room. Get someone to take you, or call for an ambulance. If you are in extreme trouble, you may pass out driving to the hospital. 9)GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM if these symptoms continue without responding well to anything you do. Do not play with this, or try to “tough it out”. This is all very serious. A heat stroke can easily turn into a real stroke. You can spend the rest of your life in a wheelchair or using a walker if you don’t deal with this correctly. If you go down outside and nobody helps, you can die. SO BE CAREFUL OUT THERE!!!! (a little unsolicited advice from a Texan who has had severe heat exhaustion many times. It is not fun. Avoid it if you can.)
I appreciate your comments and read every word. Thank you
Load More Replies...
We may not be used to the heat here, but no joke in toronto, I saw people run like the wind in rain whilst It felt like another day for me, it depends what you get used to. Us brits cannot handle heat and snow but we sure can handle wet and grey weather.
If you have any or all of these symptoms, 1)Run to the shower or garden hose, drench yourself with cold water, start stripping all layers of clothes, stand or sit wet and stripped in front of an oscillating fan 2)OR, Fill the bathtub with cold water from the tap & ice from the refrigerator. Get in & start rehydrating. Use a fan to blow air on you if you can do this safely. 3)Drink water. Do not drink caffeinated drinks since they make this worse. Most sports drinks with electrolytes also have caffeine in them. The caffeine will raise your blood pressure & risk of stroke.
Caffeine is a diuretic; it pulls water out of you. Drink 3 glasses of water for every cup of caffeine to 1. replace what is pulled out 2. for the water you should have drunk instead of the caffeine 3. another glass to rehydrate yourself.
Load More Replies...
I honestly don't get why so many people are uncomfortable with other's people semi-nudity.
Because if a woman did it she would be arrested, even though men also have nipples. So men are flaunting thier privilege. Sexist double standard.
Load More Replies...
Saw a sign at a liquor store (U.S.) Five minutes in the walk in cooler free with every purchase.
Cassie, why did you put a 10-line limit on my posts. This is all benign & helpful. What I am saying here can save a person's life. I have personally experienced what is here, so I know first-hand what I am talking about. This contains no medical advice that will give you liability worries. People die in Texas every year from heat stroke. The heat can be deadly. So pls keep these posts together & save someone's life. JknbtJknbt
Its only 34.4C at the moment here in phoenix Arizona. been a rather cool night 3:38 AM right now. The key is hydration, hydration, and did I mention Hydration.
It was 103f in eastern Washington state when I left to stay with my sis on the coast. People there were sweltering in the 85f heat. I was freezing!
I used to live in japan for 8 years wear temperatures often reached high thirties and the humidity pushed it well above the forties. Worse is that we still had to work. At the school I worked in we would open the windows and put the fan on and pray for a cool breeze. In England...wow...as soon as it reached the mid twenties people were complaining of how hot it was. People could understand how I was still able to wear a thins jumper. Granted, when it reached above 30 it was hot BUT not too hot. It was manageable. Sadly, from what I saw, most British people just didn't know how to deal with the heat and they would go out in the sun trying to tan and complain they got really hot etc rather than sticking to the shade. They'd still go on jogs, take their dogs out, and other crazy stuff.
Welcome to my world...summer in Tucson? Not for wimps. Yes, it's a dry heat, and an oven is still an oven...BUT we are used to it, and most have a/c so it's not as devastating. However, I was in Italy this June's heatwave, no a/c and our fan's motor got so hot it actually Melted off the frame! We lasted two days in the city before escaping to a lake and playing hippopotamus for the rest of the trip. These extreme weather events are unfortunately becoming the norm, thanks to climate change (yeah, the thing that Drumpf and co keep denying...I think we need to cut the electricity a/c on the white haus)
Right now it's cooling down outside because it's night time. But it's still 31C (87F) inside. Great house in below 40 degrees in winter. Not so great in a heat wave. A bit like me. I do great in below 40, bring it on, I have a scarf. But 95F is murdering me. I'm not built for this.
I think this is how nature takes revenge of electing Boris Johnson.
It's SOOOOOOOOOOOOO hot - the British are having a hard time maintaining stiff upper lips!
Makes a change, it's normally the Daily Mail who STEALS from Bored Panda..... Oh and BTW I survived Thursday, only just, it was brutal.
This is crazy, I don't blame them carry the fan everywhere they go but damnnn too heavy though. We have a/c at home, on the outside I got this portable shoulder fans, you should check it out. I brought 4 of them for rotated. Good stuff https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B07RM3CWKF/ref=dp_olp_new_mbc?ie=UTF8&condition=new
A fan is too heavy? I’m going to assume you’ve never tried to lift one. A fan is lighter than most purses. Almost every fan is just a couple pieces of plastic and wire. Definitely not too heavy. Too cumbersome maybe. Your shoulder fans are nice too though.
Load More Replies...
I am an American of Pasty Northern European (tm) heritage - and I can vouch for these folks - we are not able to tolerate heat like people with even a little bit of pigment in their bodies. Honestly. Over 65 (f) and I am melting and di ving for an aircon. I feel you my friends across the pond.
Pigment has absolultey nothing to do with heat tolerance. It only protects you from the skin damaging effects of the sun's rays, but not from heat.
Load More Replies...
Yeah, I don’t get it either. I’m from Antarctica and it’s always -20 at least here. Why don’t other places prepare for winters like ours?! Sidenote: Someone give the taxpayers of Utah some more funds to fix their education. Cuz damn.
Load More Replies...
Azkhaleesi, Ah bless your heart. Would you like a giant golden star to plaster on your forehead for surviving the heat. Many people in Europe are not used to this intense heat. Many of use live in cooler climates so this heat is a nightmare and extremely dangerous for many people. The majority of homes where I live don’t have central air. Our trams and trains are rarely air conditioned. Sooo, I would really love for you to spend several hours in a crowded London train with no air, surrounded by hoards of hot and sweaty people and dare to call “this cute” again. Oh boy, heat stroke is so much fun said no one ever. - This has been a public service announcement from your “cute” friends in the UK
Load More Replies... 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.
Load More Replies... 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*
Load More Replies... 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.
42C in Belgium yesterday, with high humidity so you're sweating enormously, and AC is a luxury for the rich and rarely to be found in standard homes... (or even stores for that matter)
we are renovating our house atm and one of the first thing we bought was AC in the bedrooms and i can say its been heavensent these past days but yeah the store i work at doesnt have any
Load More Replies... I've been spending a lot of time at the hospital in the past few days and the number of people who are carrying fans in for the patients (and maybe themselves) is quite astounding. The buildings in the UK are designed to keep heat in and when it gets up in the 90s, it is beyond stifling inside.
In Norway it is released warning of flooding for communities around the glacier in Jostedal. It's getting bit too warm.
Yikes! That is terrifying. And sadly, there are still going to be those people who deny that climate change is real.
Load More Replies... I dont get it. 50 years ago they sent men to the moon and today they still dont know how to install an decent airco in the London Underground!
That's because it's only recently that we've had very hot summers one after the other. It's been like this for three summers now, and likely to be our normal. It will take a while to sort it out as we're not used to it.
Load More Replies... People need to stop complaining that "Oh, just deal with it, here in (for example) Cali, it's so much hotter!" 1. Over there, AirCon is a very normal thing in your houses, here in the UK and Europe, unless you're stinking rich, it's highly unlikely you'll have an aircon unit, and have to make do with a fan blowing warm air around, maybe you can get a bit of respite putting ice in front of it, but it won't last long. 2. Over in (again, example) California, you're used to the heat, you've always had hot summers. Where I am, up in the Norht of the UK, it hit up to 34 degrees (when I say degrees, I mean celsius), and that was on the coast. Inland was even hotter. I'm 23 years old and I've NEVER known it be above 30 before, hell, I don't ever remember it being as high as 30. We're simply not used to high heat, 25 degrees used to be considered very hot weather for us.
Don't forget that the usage of cars is not as prevalent, either. You normally are on your feet more, walk, cycle or take the public transportation (which also doesn't have AC) to work, transport your groceries by bike/foot and so on. It is different when you can just go from your AC home into your AC car to drive to your AC work.
Load More Replies... WARNING SIGNS OF HEAT STROKE: if you have any of these conditions, you are in big trouble. Do not ignore these warnings. How to know you have heat exhaustion are about to have a heat stroke: 1)You look down on your arms & see blue, dry skin (you have sweated out), 2)OR, You are dizzy, hot, you are soaked in sweat, disoriented, & exhausted, 3)OR, You look straight out, & it looks like the walls are closing in, 4)OR, You look out & see blue bubbles (small & large) floating in your field of view, 5)OR, You start to cramp in your extremities (arms & legs) Your body is shutting down to these parts to protect vital organs. This will be painful. 6)OR, Your urine is dark golden color or even almost brown, a sure sign of dehydration...
Whereas its one of the coolest summers in Turkey. Not many days we see even 30°C.
Good, the street cats will stay cool. Turkey is 👌
Load More Replies... 4)Check your blood pressure if you have a home monitor. High blood pressure can cause stroke. If you can’t get it down on your own, go to the emergency room. 5)Check your temperature. Adults will pass out if their core temperature goes over 106 degF (41.1 degC). Adults will die if their core temperature goes over 108 degF (42.2 degC). If you can’t get your temperature down, go to the emergency room. 6)REHYDRATE: Slowly drink a quart (or liter) of COLD water. Your body’s reaction will be to throw it up if you are completely dehydrated. Drink as much as you can. You will not be able to urinate if completely dehydrated. Once again, no caffeinated beverages. 7)If you can't keep the cold drink down, GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM IMMEDIATELY!!! No kidding! Do not underestimate the seriousness of the problem or over-estimate your ability to deal with it on your own.
8)CALL FOR HELP. Do not face this alone. If you are very dizzy or disoriented, do not drive yourself to the emergency room. Get someone to take you, or call for an ambulance. If you are in extreme trouble, you may pass out driving to the hospital. 9)GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM if these symptoms continue without responding well to anything you do. Do not play with this, or try to “tough it out”. This is all very serious. A heat stroke can easily turn into a real stroke. You can spend the rest of your life in a wheelchair or using a walker if you don’t deal with this correctly. If you go down outside and nobody helps, you can die. SO BE CAREFUL OUT THERE!!!! (a little unsolicited advice from a Texan who has had severe heat exhaustion many times. It is not fun. Avoid it if you can.)
I appreciate your comments and read every word. Thank you
Load More Replies... We may not be used to the heat here, but no joke in toronto, I saw people run like the wind in rain whilst It felt like another day for me, it depends what you get used to. Us brits cannot handle heat and snow but we sure can handle wet and grey weather.
If you have any or all of these symptoms, 1)Run to the shower or garden hose, drench yourself with cold water, start stripping all layers of clothes, stand or sit wet and stripped in front of an oscillating fan 2)OR, Fill the bathtub with cold water from the tap & ice from the refrigerator. Get in & start rehydrating. Use a fan to blow air on you if you can do this safely. 3)Drink water. Do not drink caffeinated drinks since they make this worse. Most sports drinks with electrolytes also have caffeine in them. The caffeine will raise your blood pressure & risk of stroke.
Caffeine is a diuretic; it pulls water out of you. Drink 3 glasses of water for every cup of caffeine to 1. replace what is pulled out 2. for the water you should have drunk instead of the caffeine 3. another glass to rehydrate yourself.
Load More Replies... I honestly don't get why so many people are uncomfortable with other's people semi-nudity.
Because if a woman did it she would be arrested, even though men also have nipples. So men are flaunting thier privilege. Sexist double standard.
Load More Replies... Saw a sign at a liquor store (U.S.) Five minutes in the walk in cooler free with every purchase.
Cassie, why did you put a 10-line limit on my posts. This is all benign & helpful. What I am saying here can save a person's life. I have personally experienced what is here, so I know first-hand what I am talking about. This contains no medical advice that will give you liability worries. People die in Texas every year from heat stroke. The heat can be deadly. So pls keep these posts together & save someone's life. JknbtJknbt
Its only 34.4C at the moment here in phoenix Arizona. been a rather cool night 3:38 AM right now. The key is hydration, hydration, and did I mention Hydration.
It was 103f in eastern Washington state when I left to stay with my sis on the coast. People there were sweltering in the 85f heat. I was freezing!
I used to live in japan for 8 years wear temperatures often reached high thirties and the humidity pushed it well above the forties. Worse is that we still had to work. At the school I worked in we would open the windows and put the fan on and pray for a cool breeze. In England...wow...as soon as it reached the mid twenties people were complaining of how hot it was. People could understand how I was still able to wear a thins jumper. Granted, when it reached above 30 it was hot BUT not too hot. It was manageable. Sadly, from what I saw, most British people just didn't know how to deal with the heat and they would go out in the sun trying to tan and complain they got really hot etc rather than sticking to the shade. They'd still go on jogs, take their dogs out, and other crazy stuff.
Welcome to my world...summer in Tucson? Not for wimps. Yes, it's a dry heat, and an oven is still an oven...BUT we are used to it, and most have a/c so it's not as devastating. However, I was in Italy this June's heatwave, no a/c and our fan's motor got so hot it actually Melted off the frame! We lasted two days in the city before escaping to a lake and playing hippopotamus for the rest of the trip. These extreme weather events are unfortunately becoming the norm, thanks to climate change (yeah, the thing that Drumpf and co keep denying...I think we need to cut the electricity a/c on the white haus)
Right now it's cooling down outside because it's night time. But it's still 31C (87F) inside. Great house in below 40 degrees in winter. Not so great in a heat wave. A bit like me. I do great in below 40, bring it on, I have a scarf. But 95F is murdering me. I'm not built for this.
I think this is how nature takes revenge of electing Boris Johnson.
It's SOOOOOOOOOOOOO hot - the British are having a hard time maintaining stiff upper lips!
Makes a change, it's normally the Daily Mail who STEALS from Bored Panda..... Oh and BTW I survived Thursday, only just, it was brutal.
This is crazy, I don't blame them carry the fan everywhere they go but damnnn too heavy though. We have a/c at home, on the outside I got this portable shoulder fans, you should check it out. I brought 4 of them for rotated. Good stuff https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B07RM3CWKF/ref=dp_olp_new_mbc?ie=UTF8&condition=new
A fan is too heavy? I’m going to assume you’ve never tried to lift one. A fan is lighter than most purses. Almost every fan is just a couple pieces of plastic and wire. Definitely not too heavy. Too cumbersome maybe. Your shoulder fans are nice too though.
Load More Replies... I am an American of Pasty Northern European (tm) heritage - and I can vouch for these folks - we are not able to tolerate heat like people with even a little bit of pigment in their bodies. Honestly. Over 65 (f) and I am melting and di ving for an aircon. I feel you my friends across the pond.
Pigment has absolultey nothing to do with heat tolerance. It only protects you from the skin damaging effects of the sun's rays, but not from heat.
Load More Replies... Yeah, I don’t get it either. I’m from Antarctica and it’s always -20 at least here. Why don’t other places prepare for winters like ours?! Sidenote: Someone give the taxpayers of Utah some more funds to fix their education. Cuz damn.
Load More Replies... Azkhaleesi, Ah bless your heart. Would you like a giant golden star to plaster on your forehead for surviving the heat. Many people in Europe are not used to this intense heat. Many of use live in cooler climates so this heat is a nightmare and extremely dangerous for many people. The majority of homes where I live don’t have central air. Our trams and trains are rarely air conditioned. Sooo, I would really love for you to spend several hours in a crowded London train with no air, surrounded by hoards of hot and sweaty people and dare to call “this cute” again. Oh boy, heat stroke is so much fun said no one ever. - This has been a public service announcement from your “cute” friends in the UK
Load More Replies...