It’s over tomorrow, the heat is over for another year

[LaurieFairyCake]

Firstly I appreciate this is not the same for the rest of the country

but we’ve had it horrific here (London). I’ve never felt so shit in my life as I have for the last 10 weeks. I’ve spent between £250-350 a month on electricity (portable air conditioners). I’ve felt anxious, headachy, it’s FUCKED with my peri menopause (brain fog, no words, cognitive decline). I’ve felt tearful and as if it would go on forever. There are moments where I’ve thought I can’t take another moment of this. My sleep is proper fucked.

this has to change. I’ve done everything on a personsl
level I can. Air conditioners only when necessary, above 26 inside (DH has long Covid so literally throws up in heat). His asthma is exacerbated. The dogs have had the shittest summer. I’ve had a couple of rescues that can’t go out about 22 degrees. I reckon they’ve been walked briefly 3 times a week. We deliberately went away on a cheap caravan holiday twice just so they could smile. There were endless days I couldn’t work as too hot in my home office and clients cancelled.

I cannot wait til Saturday.

I hope for solidarity from others. I want to wear a fucking hoodie again. I’ve spent every day sat around in my underwear inside for vast stretches of the day. This is not sexy.

I’m off for a week from next Wednesday and everyone at work has been joking that the minute I go on holiday (to Devon) that will be when the heatwave ends. It looks like they’re right but DP and I were discussing it last night and we’re both really looking forward to the idea of having to wear waterproofs etc on walks. And coming back to a hot chocolate@. And being able sleep properly in the motorhome. Can’t wait!

I can't wait to drink hot chocolate and be cosy under a duvet again! Sounds perfect!

I take long range forecasts with a pinch of salt, even the Met Office say themselves it's difficult to forecast more than a few days ahead even with all their technology, they can have an idea but it's not set in stone, it changes daily...

Where are you? Because temps substantially above 22 overnight have happened many times this summer in the SE. This morning it is already 28 at 8.30 and we are predicted a high of 35. We had a solid week of highs of 38-39 earlier in the year and the overnight temps never dropped below 27.

There's something up when that sounds like heaven, isn't there?

I might get the DC to dance in the rain when it comes😂

That's the worst thing - the nights. Like other UK homes, ours has been built to hold the heat. Great in February, an oven in this current summer.

Yes its boiling hot and I understand some people are struggling. My health is not good and the heat makes it worse but we are having the weather that we save all year to go abroad for and this year we get it for free in our own back gardens. How many times have parents struggled to keep their kids entertained when the 6 weeks holidays have been a wash out. I live near the sea and it is lovely to see the families out on the sand until early evening. This year my garden is full with a pool and outdoor games and my grandson and I are loving it. The winter months are very long and dark so try to enjoy while it lasts.

Having sweated and been miserable in London for weeks through the heatwaves - we are due to go on our UK beach holiday this weekend, just as the weather changes. Typical!

Agree.

It's been unbearable at times - last night it was 31c in our bedroom,, outdoor weather gauge in shade were 38c - were not even in a city or near London.

It's really got me thinking on what other measures our household can make. We do a lot of the above, all cycle or walk if it's within three miles (do my food shopping in foot returning from walks, keep our energy use low, think about packaging etc etc, but we need to do more. I only have one DC, but I need to be responsible for what I pass onto her and next generation.

I don't understand the mumsnet obsession with sweet, calorific hot drinks. Tea for me please.

I feel for you I really do .
Where I live we are fortunate that we have had some milder days , some lovely warm days but also some hot ( for us ) days .
Yesterday we ended up spending fuel money to get to the cooler part of the coast and sit with our dog overlooking the sea under a shaded table .
cant use public transport as it’s too hot to sit in a bus for long
Because our back garden faces SW and we have huge bifold doors at the back it gets hot quickly in sun so I’ve had to rig up some shade so sun doesn’t reach the glass .

This is the long range forecast from the MetOffice. It doesn’t look like it’s over.

(need to wait for image approval)

I want to wear jumpers, jeans and boots again - I hate summer clothes as I never feel comfortable in them, and hate exposing parts of me which I would rather keep hidden!

I'm not wishing for autumn or winter exactly. I love summer when it's generally warm and dry enough to go out and about without a jacket. I don't like this situation where it's just too hot to do anything. It's forecast to be 23 here tomorrow with 'sunny intervals and a light breeze' That's how August in the north of England is supposed to be.

From the Met office on why two weeks ahead is never an exact science.

Runs of computer models with similar weather forecasts for the next day will have entirely different predictions looking weeks or months ahead. Long-range forecasts do not try to predict the exact weather this far ahead, therefore. Instead, they aim to identify the more likely weather trends in the period of interest

You might be lucky OP, but don't take your two week forecast as gospel!

I cannot understand this obsession with tea. It tastes putrid and makes me feel queasy.
It's almost as if.....taste is subjective and MN isn't a hive mind!

Where I am (South East) it was nudging 36c with a humidity of 68%, it was pretty horrific...

I am sick of it to and hate being sweaty and hot and sick of the noise of the fan but not holding out much hope for it cooling down as this is what met weather says. I am not to far from london 🙄

Friday 28 Aug - Friday 11 Sep
High pressure will probably be dominant in the vicinity of the UK during this period, meaning periods of dry weather for many regions. However, some more unsettled or changeable interludes are probable at times, bringing showers or some longer spells of rain, although overall rainfall amounts are more likely to be below average than above. Temperatures will likely be above average and some spells of hot weather and heatwaves are possible, especially in the south.

I'm just watching a bit on BBC about the impact on wildlife, it's been awful.

One of the wildlife centres is looking after some cygnets whose parents buggered off when the water in their usual habitat dried up. They're asking people to put out dishes of water in their gardens for the hedghogs etc.

Yeah it's been a struggle hasn't it? I've coped better this last HW because I learned from previous ones. Stay in all afternoon in front of a fan. Do stuff that doesn't involve moving around very much like watching films and reading. Go out in the evening when it's cooler.

I Hope this was a freak year.

Where I live (across the channel) I have an old stone house, which really helps to keep more of the coolness indoors. It's horribly inefficient in the winter and diagnostic scores are a massive thing over here (I'm the lowest of the low (G rating), but it's a huge benefit in the summer.

There's been such a massive push to get everybody into the high categories, that the houses that are A or A+ (mostly new builds) rated to improve efficiency in the winter, have become unintentional ovens in these heatwaves!

We are 40 minutes from London. My weather forecast for the next week looks exactly the same as the one from every day since May. 26/27+ on most days with the promise of 23/24 in a week’s time, which has always changed (ie got hotter) by the time we actually get there!

It's been awful. My office doesn't have air con as it's a listed building in a reception with the doors open all day. I'm in the SW so we got the red weather warning last month.

People say MN will moan when it rains but I won't be moaning. That'll be the "it's just summer, lovely parched grass, 1976" lot.

I love the hot weather 😳 but I am not enjoying the effect its having on our greenery and the fires.
I cannot imagine anywhere I would like to be less than London in this heat, and I love London! So sympathies to all of you navigating that.

I felt like winter dragged on this year and was ready for some sun but a little more rain would be appreciated too.
I prefer summer clothes, hate wearing jackets, coats, thinking about footwear and i find it so much easier throwing a light dress or vest top and shorts on. Thin tshirt and linen pants for work, its just easier.

I don't understand why you feel you have to expose anything you don't want to in summer clothes. I much prefer to wear lightweight clothes and not need to bother with socks and bulky clothes to keep warm.

I don't wear skimpy clothes in summer.

The right summer clothes don't make you look any fatter or thinner than winter clothes.