To think we are pathetic in the UK re weather?

[Usery]

Whether it's too hot (it's going to be 40° on Monday don't you know🙄) or too cold or snow or wind etc...

AIBU to think we are a bit pathetic in the UK and a bunch of over reactors when it comes to any sort of "extreme" weather.

We
Don't have the infrastructure to deal with extremes of weather, in either direction. That's why.

Ya definitely nbu

Whilst I do understand that... It's 2 days for Christ sake.

It's the British thing isn't it, talking about the weather!

I'll be in a commercial kitchen on Monday, I'm not worried about it but I know I'll be a sweaty mess. We're not geared up to deal with extreme weather but at least we know in advance and can plan to some extent, some people are definitely being a bit OTT.

I get annoyed with people who won't drive in snow. The first snow after I'd passed my test at 17, my dad took me out and taught me how to drive in it, I'm not phased by it at all now. And snow is much more common than extreme heat!

That's the chief exec of the met office.

Not really. The UK just isn’t built for the extremes of weather we are getting now. I keep seeing threads saying “what do you think people in hot countries do??!”. Erm, their houses are built to be cool, they have air con, they have siestas in the middle of the day etc

A lot of it is the media, they are the same with everything, weather dramatics used to be just the front page of the Mail, Express and Sun, now it everyone vying for clicks and TV viewers. Drama on websites like this and Facebook just add to it all

So it's 2 days of being very careful.
And yes you understand the extreme heat but maybe other people don't and might take out their kids or animals in it, and maybe the warning might prevent even one person getting heat exhaustion or melanoma

We like to talk about the weather. Upcoming unforeseen extremes are a talking point.

40 is very hot.
Even the Spanish will look for shade at 40 degrees.
Us Brits are from a temperate climate, so of course it hurts. Quit telling people that they should feel like you.

Of course we are geared up for extreme heat, we've got houses, central heating, double glazing, shade, running hot and cold water, fridges and freezers

And yes, there will excess deaths, there always is with anything, heat, cold viruses, cost of living rises the list goes on!

As another op said, check on your elderly friends and neighbours

Yanbu op

Sorry did I tell anyone how they should feel?

Just seen another thread on pretty much this exact topic and the vote is very different with YANBU taking a larger lead. Maybe I just didn't word this one politely enough 🤣

YABU for all the reasons above. Our country was never designed for such high temperatures and so people aren't educated for it. People are going to go out, not drink enough (or sit all day on the ale), get dehydrated, get third degree sunburn, get heat stroke, vomit, get more dehydrated. Our buildings don't have air con. We can seek shade but everywhere is still going to be hot.
Apparently things can start to melt too. Pretty sure you'll be moaning too if your car gets stuck on a melting road...

How is central heating advantageous to extreme heat?

It's always extreme on here, Covid, Nuclear war, comes to mind, irl it's not, just these websites attract drama

I’m in Australia and would be dreading a couple of days of 40. We don’t have air con at home so would be planning on spending some time at a shopping centre.

Thank you. These ‘we’re pathetic about extreme weather in the UK’ posts are so incredibly boring. Yes, it’s only two days and yes, most of us - particularly those of us who are healthy and able-bodied - will be absolutely fine. But how small-minded do you have to be to be completely unable to imagine why the highest temperatures on record could be dangerous to some sections of the population in a country that is ill-equipped for extreme heat?

Not many places have to deal with lots of different types of extreme weather. We have to be jack of all trades and this means masters of none.

It isn't about the length of time, it is about the fact the government is expecting serious disruption and potentially 1000s of deaths.

We are not a robust nation currently.

YABU. We do not have the infrastructure to deal with extremes of temperature and we are not acclimatised to it.

I've lived in a hot country. School started at 7:30am and finished at 2pm. It also finished for the summer at the end of May so it was closed for the hottest months of June, July and August. DCs would leave their air conditioned school, get in the air conditioned car and arrive back at their air conditioned house. They would then jump in the pool to "cool off". Everywhere had air conditioning and was set up to stay cool unlike here and most of the social life centred around the swimming pools.

Extreme heat temps for two sudden days. It’s dangerous for a lot of people and does cause death. Plenty of data available, In a country with no air con and infrastructure for it . People in the U.K. aren’t always very sensible either and it will cause sunburn, heat exhaustion and sickness in the elderly or already ill.

Yes I’ve dealt with those temps before on holiday, not pleasant even then but manageable because you can escape the heat in air con buildings or pools etc.. But I’m working on Tuesday in estimate temps of 36 when our ward is already 28 degrees when just warm weather. We’ve barely any ventilation as it is. I can’t say being in plastic aprons masks and gloves is going to be ok in that weather for us staff, nevermind the patients who are already unwell and trying to feel better! can you imagine that type of U.K. humidity and trying to breathe with a chest infection/covid/ asthma exacerbation?

It isn't about the length of time, it is about the fact the government is expecting serious disruption and potentially 1000s of deaths.

A similar event last year in North America killed hundreds. The vast majority died alone, inside. Check on your isolated neighbours.