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.

All those saying last summer was "normal", don't you remember all the threads on here where people were keeping their kids off school, and some schools actually closed because it was too hot to function? Outdoor events were cancelled, trains were chaos because of the heat affecting the tracks and I'm sure at one point we were advised not to drive because the roads were melting. People have short memories.

I still have slight ptsd from last summer, I live in Essex. It was hot for so long at one point I couldn't see any relief coming, and there was NO rain! I don't know why people are minimising, it was extremely hot.

I was also trying to pack up and put everything in storage as we were renovating, on the hottest day of the year and I'm still traumatized by it.

We're getting AC installed soon.

My mil was one of those who died in last years excess heat. She was very frail with dementia so couldn’t adapt. I think a lot of vulnerable people will be terrified at the prospects of similar or worse heat. I also think op has a right at 19 to be terrified at the prospect of climate induced weather extremes. Perhaps you have your head in the sand?

Just get an air conditioner installed and be done with it.

World isn’t getting any cooler until the next Ice Age anyway

Wasn't it the hottest year on record? I remember trying to work in late 30 degrees and I'm in the North!

2 really hot days up here, rest a balmy 25. In all seriousness I don't think the north-south divide will perpetuate much longer for this reason and it's a big factor for us in looking at jobs as I wouldn't want to move towards that.

It is pretty terrifying when our reservoirs and water courses drop to record lows, crops are stunted and fail, and livestock perish from the heat.

Lots of people might look forward to tanning in their gardens but last year was awful for farmers and wildlife. Remember how brown everything was? That's because it was dead. We can't feed ourselves if our food chain goes down in a heatwave and drought.

I think being terrified of hot weather is a pretty extreme overreaction.

Yes, extreme temperatures in either direction can be pretty grim and yes, the humidity doesn't help, but as long as you're sensible you'll be fine.

I work outdoors with animals and had to close my business for several days due to the heat. Yes, it's frustrating but unless you're elderly or vulnerable it's really not something to be scared about.

I remember it being very uncomfortable. Some schools closing. Events cancelled.

But I think that OP is catastrophising to be terrified of summer while ice is on the ground in February.

Make plans for how to cope if the 40degrees returns. Invest in some resources (air con, paddling pool, cool towels etc) which you can probably afford if you can budget for a holiday. Be prepared and you'll feel calmer.

I don't like very hot weather but low 70's is perfect in the summer. I'm in the SE, we only had two really hot days last summer that reached 40 degrees and I admit it was awful. One of those days was my son's year 6 prom and I felt so sorry for them dressed up in suits and polyester prom dresses. The school did their best to make it comfortable. I really hope we don't have days like that again this summer but it's looking likely isn't it?

I live in the north of the UK by the sea, we had one beach day and two days hot enough for the paddling pool, maybe consider moving up north!

^^ This.

It was the worst summer I've ever experienced, sweating constantly,
buy a tan
sticking to every surface,
put blankets down on plastic/leather
always dehydrated,
drink more, eat food with a high water ckntent
warm water coming out the cold tap,
put some jugs/bottles in the fridge or freezer
and sweating as soon as I stepped out of the bath.
sit in front of the fan
I also had a very unhappy, sweaty, screamy 1.5 year old!
paddling pool in the shade during the day, damp blanket to cuddle on a night, give them a fan.

I still have slight ptsd from last summer

It was hot. In some parts of the country it was very hot. But as someone who lives with actual PTSD, please don't.

Where the hell do you live op ?

does anyone have any recommendations for a portable air conditioner unit ?

I remember that but it was only for a very few days. It wasnt months and months. Also, part of the reason for that is that UK is generally not a hot country so schools and businesses dont have air conditioning like hot countries simply because we rarely have them and so it wouldnt justify the cost of getting in industrial air con for 3-4 days a year. We have also had a few days of extremely cold weather. I remember my parents talking about a very hot summer in 1976 where droughts were aplenty and both 1976 and 1995 was drier and hotter than 2022 according to MET reports so it happens on occasion. I think its a little hysterical to be concerned you might die because of it.

I think there was a couple of weeks of extreme heat in London that I found unbearable - it actually gave me anxiety as it felt never ending (I never have anxiety)

Plus we had about 4 months of hose pipe ban which lasted til December - meaning we had months of watching plants die everywhere

Blackheath and Greenwich park was literally brown and dead looking for months

It was AWFUL

lIt is pretty terrifying when our reservoirs and water courses drop to record lows, crops are stunted and fail, and livestock perish from the heat.

Sure, but sitting at home in cold and rainy February being terrified of something that may not even happen in six months time is extreme - especially when you can't control it anyway.

Now that is a fantastic idea, @jessycake. The front of my house has big windows and gets the sun from dawn till mid-afternoon (bay window, so faces 3 ways). Even with the curtains kept closed all day, it was still damn hot.

How did you fix it in place, please?

The bay window also has a flat roof, so gets really hot. I wondered if covering the roofing felt in that heat-reflective silver stuff you put behind radiators to reflect heat into the room would make a difference.

Since when did it become ok to tell people what they are and are not allowed to be terrified of?

I think it depends where you live! I’m in Sputh Yorkshire. It was blistering.

I seem to remember places just below us not getting it. I’m dreading it too!

Did anyone use solar film on windows & if so did it help? I want to be ahead of the game this year.

Plus I read opening the loft hatch draws the hot air inside up - anyone tried & did it help?

I loved it too. My recollection is that we had two very hot periods. One in June and another at the beginning of August, otherwise it was just a lovely warm and sunny summer.

It's always been okay to tell someone you think they're overreacting.

Why wouldn't it be okay? Not all reactions are healthy and many are actually detrimental in the long run.