To be terrified of the coming summer?

[screamingbanshees]

Last year there were 24,000+ heat-related deaths due to the heatwave, and the temperatures here were astronomical. It was the worst summer I've ever experienced, sweating constantly, sticking to every surface, always dehydrated, warm water coming out the cold tap, and sweating as soon as I stepped out of the bath. I also had a very unhappy, sweaty, screamy 1.5 year old!

AIBU to be absolutely dreading this year? Apparently the Met Office has claimed 2023 will have an even hotter summer. I don't know if I can bear it again. DP and I are thinking of booking a holiday just to be somewhere liveable. This is also the first winter I've actually enjoyed because of the relief from the heat.

I dislike too much heat, last summer was very hot. I much prefer colder weather and winter, autumn & spring.
I feel as much dislike towards summer, as those on MN feel about winter, it's not that cold - get a grip!

Not quite true. If a high pressure system settles in, it can take several weeks to move. This is what happened in 1975 and more so in 1976, leading to the severe droughts and standpipes etc. I was there and it was seemingly endless - but obviously from a child's point of view it lasted forever haha.

I hear you OP - I feel the same. Not a massive fan of the heat, live in East Anglia where it peaked 38 degrees one day and it was grim. Sustained heat for a few weeks. I am hoping to get better prepared this year.

For my area it was bad for a few weeks. Some nights it didn’t go below 28 degrees, it was absolutely awful. Not much you can do though unfortunately, just prepare as best as possible.

I think people are forgetting that while the temperatures were not "extreme" most of the time, the humidity made it a lot worse and the "feels like" temperature was a lot higher.

I see this a lot from UK people, and it is absolutely untrue.

In the UK, humidity dips very low as temperature goes up. On every single heatwave day in summer in the UK last year, the humidity was under 30%. Without fail. The "feels like" temperature will always be much lower than the on-paper temperature during UK "heatwaves".

I know this for a fact as DH kept moaning and comparing the heat to where I'm from! It's nothing like it. Temperature is in the 30s and 40s, and humidity usually above 70% where I'm from.

You can check the historical records if you don't believe me.

This.

It's absolutely fair enough to be concerned if you have heart issue and/or other conditions which are risk in heat.
I do think there should be reasonable adjustments grounds in sutuations like these.

@Phrenologistsfinger indeed we will - this should be a wake up call fr every one. But panicking and exaggerating does not help anyone.

Things did not sponteanuously combust - most of the fires were caused by absolute idiots having BBQs outside or disposing of cigarettes/glass irresponsibly. Grwing up on a farm as a child we would often have summer "wildfires" in fields of wheat or straw for the same reasons. It is terrifying it has happened in more residential areas so people need to really consider their behaviour.

It was absolutely awful for us but we were in a south-facing poorly insulated house on a main road. Neighbouring houses have all paved their gardens or astroturfed them so the back garden was like a hot box. Friends a couple of streets away were fine, lovely cool house and tree-lined road for respite. We went over one day and it was shocking how horrendous the heat was on our road Vs turning the corner to theirs, still in the sun, but just cooler. I remember someone sharing here on MN a map that showed relative heat patterns and risks by street – there are significant differences even 50 yards apart, depending on the proximity of your road to green space Vs supermarket car park, say, as well as which direction it faces, insulation, etc.

I sympathize, OP. I live in the Western Isles and we didn't really have a noticeable summer last year, but it sounds awful for you. Some people cope with heat and some don't, I don't really and heat triggers my asthma, so I would be distressed at the prospect of hospital stays and general illness.

Apparently some posters haven't got past the toddler stage of thinking that if something doesn't hurt them, then it just doesn't hurt.

Do you think it might help you feel less anxious if you started making plans and putting measures in place to alleviate heat-related problems? Fans, curtains thick enough to block the sun in the hottest parts of the day, perhaps an ice maker, that sort of thing?

This feels almost hysterical! It was lovely and hot last summer. My dog wasn't a fan but I loved it. My cottage stayed cool but it was wonderfully hot in the garden. If you are too hot try a 100year old slate cottage in Wales!

Wikipedia is the most unreliable source out there.

@bussteward It is a known issue - the paving over of gardens and removing trees is a real issue for hotter summers. We definitely did not suffer as much as our road and garden is really green with a lot of mature trees.

I meant to add that I'm planning on having an awning installed across my back windows before this summer. Not sure what to do about the front as they're the worst windows as that's where the sun is in the afternoon.

I love summer, but am disappointed at the lack of empathy on this thread.

1. The whole of the UK is not one homogeneous country with the same temperatures everywhere
2. We don't live in the same type of area in the same type of housing - a south facing flat in London is going to be extremely uncomfortable compared to a house in a rural area on a hill in the highlands of Scotland
3. People feel the heat differently

I agree that some people could do more to help themselves like dressing appropriately. When someone in tight skinny jeans with a tight fitting top and trainers complains about the heat I always think "why are you dressed like that?" Honestly, wearing loose fitting clothes and flipflops/bare feet or sandals really does make a huge difference. It isn't rocket science.

Sticking your feet in a bowl of water helps massively (would I really get an electric shock if i did that while using my laptop?)

I have learned some tips from this thread. The insulating your windows from outside had never occurred to me, so thank you for that.

Hey everyone 😀

Where do I start… I have just started a new job Mid December, complete new change of role and have just found out am pregnant ( 11 weeks to be exact) What feels like should be exciting news seems terrifying at the moment.

I have no idea when to tell me new employer, who is all work, work, work and can’t imagine they will be too pleased, as I have been brought in ease the load! I am also, on a 6 month probation and am absolutely bricking it telling the team, who I built a good relationship with already. Tbh me and my other half had been trying for a baby for the last two years and nothing happened and I just started to get me down that I had to stop thinking about it it. I have now have this great news that is overshadowed with guilt and I literally can’t sleep with worry about it. I literally haven’t told anyone other than direct family but I can’t help but feel overwhelmed by the news. I also am having a completely diff pregnancy from my first and am having really bad sickness, tiredness and the nausea has been terrible. I feel like a have started a new job with no energy!

I found last summer to be unbearable, not just the brief heatwave but overall it just felt so muggy and humid all the time, in particular the nights, I'm sure there must have been some new record set for overnight temperatures

It was 40 degrees here!!!

I think you made a comment instead of a thread.

🙄Just go north, also each year is different, Met Office predictions are not bullet proof

Did you even see the context in which I made those posts? I suggest you have a look.

Not quite true. If a high pressure system settles in, it can take several weeks to move. This is what happened in 1975 and more so in 1976, leading to the severe droughts and standpipes etc. I was there and it was seemingly endless - but obviously from a child's point of view it lasted forever haha.

Completely true. What I meant was we’ve never had a month of average or thereabouts temperatures. It tends to be either hotter or colder.

I predict the reality is it is going to piss it down constantly. We’ve had a fairly dry winter haven’t we?

An energy efficient portable air con unit costs approx 34p per hour for an energy efficient one. That soon adds up over the weeks it needs to go on, and here in the south west it was at least a month. If you're struggling with fuel bills that's an expense you probably can't afford, and that's based on current electricity prices, they're going up again in April.

This is a genuine question- how much of the drought was caused by bad water management? Poorly maintained systems, broken pipes, etc.? I’d be willing to wager this made a sizeable contribution to the water shortage problems. It’s been ongoing for years and there have been bans in not even particularly hot weather. The water companies must be laughing their heads off that they’ve avoided serious scrutiny over their failings in this dept over the last couple of years.