What does 46 degree heat feel like?

[SixKeys]

Going away for 10 days to a country where it will be a min of 30 degrees at night and max of 45 in the day. Have never felt heat like this before. Planning on doing excursions very early in morning, staying in hotel and going to museums and air conditioned places during the day, then poss going out again in the evening. Can anyone help me prepare for such extreme heat? Is it oppressive? Manageable? Any tips for staying comfortable?

Ooh I have had this it was touching 45 (22 years ago) I think I passed out a couple times sunbathing (I was in my twenties and silly) also didn't know I was pregnant
Deffo get inside and air con for a siesta in the afternoon
Just be sensible and like you say excursions early
And maybe alternate water with your booze
Have fun

47 in Lanzarote when I went one year. 37 at night. No breeze unusually for there. It was awful. Couldn’t walk on the floor barefoot, lay in the pool all day every day. Had factor 50 and a wet head scarf on all the time. I was 24 so got on with it and just spent my nights pissed. Now I’d die.

A week in Las Vegas in august
48 was the highest, during a day trip to the Grand Canyon
I wilted like spinach

The last time i went somewhere properly hot i panic shopped, bought a cotton dress and those little shorts for thigh rub, a new outfit for each day i was there because sweating meant no outfit would get a second wear, and only wore those 2 things, no bras and knickers. I also bought a massive black straw hat and sunglasses to cope with glare, and had 3 pairs of sandals so they could dry between wears. It's like being in an oven. When i came home we had a proper summer here and i swear i was a little phobic of the sun, certainly a little ott if i had to be out in it! Move slowly.

I've been in Dubai at 48 - only saving Grace was getting into cabs to go to indoor very air conned centres - too hot to even sit by pool- and sea was weirdly hot and not nice-this was late May!

However Greek island at 46 was just about ok as there was a hot breeze and sea still cool .

Me too. I was camping 😄 I felt like I couldn't breathe. It severely limits how much you can do or see and is sweltering even in the shade.

Dry heat or humid heat you will sweat. Try not to wipe the sweat away, tempting as it is, leave it to do its job, I.e. evaporating off of your skin to cool you as best it can. If you wipe it away your body will only work harder to replace it. Don't rely on sunblock all day, it will sweat off, so reapply frequently. Even the so called sweat proof/waterproof stuff. Wear loose clothes in natural fabrics that you can sweat in. I'm very fair, and wear long sleeved shirts with a collar turned up, and long loose trousers, I can roll up sleeves and trouser legs as I chose. I wear sunblock, but never rely on it, I cover myself with clothes too. I do make extra sure to use it on tops of feet and backs of hands since I can't cover them easily with clothes. Wear a suitable hat. Drink plenty of non alcohol fluid. Replace the salts you are losing through sweat. I normally hate sports drinks, but find them quite good in very hot climates. Or take Dioralyte. Do not rush about - you will notice that the natives don't hurry about, they amble. Stay in the shade as much as you can, and definitely stay out of midday sun. Use an old t shirt in the pool/sea to cover your back/shoulders, and wear a swimsuit that covers your bum well, even though you've got waterproof sunblock on all over, especially on the backs of your legs. Be careful if you go snorkelling etc, it's easy to stay out in the sun too long. Try to do your sightseeing early or late when it's (a bit!) cooler. A handheld fan can offer some when you're out and about, but you will need to dive into air con when you can. Obviously you will be careful about what you eat and drink - be particularly careful with ice - but be aware that the heat may make your insides play up too. In and out of arctic air con vs Hades heat upsets my tummy......Make sure you have paper/wipes when you're out and about so you can cope with that. And maybe take a wrap for that arctic air con. Enjoy your holiday!

Just be sure to take enough sunscreen with you. I ran out and bought F50 while out there, ended up with a third degree burn on my chest 😫

If it's a very dry heat then absolutely fine in my opinion! As long as there's readily available air con and shade by the pool (if it's a holiday) you'll be fine!

If it's humid, not so much.

Dry heat is much more tolerable than humid heat.

I have experienced 48 degree dry heat. Things I did were -

1. do outdoor things early in the morning or later in the afternoon. Indoor things in the middle of the day.
2. wore long-sleeved, loose tops and loose trousers / maxi skirts, mostly in linen and white. I also wore a long-sleeved top when swimming.
3. very wide brimmed straw hat.
4. froze my bottle of water the night before. I made the mistake of going for a walk without water once (was only about 15 mins) and thought I might pass out.
5. only booked air conditioned accommodation!
6. carried a fan with me (a basic paper one, not electric).
7. stayed in the shade as much as possible.
8. sometimes I'd carry a big umbrella and use it as a parasol.

I found the dry heat surprisingly ok. Humid 39 degree heat, on the other hand, was completely unbearable.

I've experienced it once for a few hours. I hate hot weather and I found it quite worrying. Almost instant and extreme dehydration and impossible to do ANYTHING. Drink, drink, drink.

We were outside though with no air-conditioning or fans available for those few hours.

Personally I wouldn't repeat the experience for any amount of money.

Did I tell you that I hate hot weather.

It was 46 when I was in India a few years ago. You can't really go out in it. I did, once or twice, but it wasn't pleasant.

I'd no idea they'd started doing holidays on the sun.

I get shirty when it's hot enough that I need to take my cardigan off, let alone be boiled alive in the shade.

I suggest you take a human sized plastic bag and fill it with ice, then get in it. Repeat as needed throughout the day. Then book next years holiday and go to Norway, like a sane person.

I went to Egypt and it was 42 most days, they were having a heatwave apparently. It was fine, we lazed by the pool most days but we also went quad biking and walked to the beach.

We have two excursions planned to Abu Simbel (leaving at 4am) and Valley of the Kings (again, leaving exceptionally early!). Then plan to do museums, stay in hotels during the day and back out again in the evening. We aren't staying in fancy hotels and are travelling via trains and the nile, starting in Cairo, to Aswan, to Luxor to Alexandria then home. Cairo is going to be 38 degrees ish unless the forecast changes which it could do. It's when we travel south it gets hotter. Don't want to miss anything but equally want to stay safe!

I was in a central european city when it was 44 degrees. I had to work in the day at quite a demanding job plus coping with the language challenges and perimenopause! 😁

I'm proud of myself getting through it, looking back. I remember the sensation of feeling sweat literally pouring down my back to my legs. And sweat dripping of my head. Urrgg.

It's almost impossible to drink enough but you have to try or end up in serious trouble within an hour or two.

Sleeping is the hardest imo. I never slept for longer than 2 or 3 hours plus couldn't eat. I think my body just wanted to go into shutdown really.

No way would I go again willingly. Not my idea of a holiday.

I have been in 46 degrees, competing in a race for a week. We were camping and relocating every day or two so no aircon to be seen and no staying inside in the middle of the day, we were outside all day mostly. But the race was on the river so I guess that was a little cooler on the water. It was like living in an oven on low to be honest, but I was much fitter and younger and it was fine. You drink redydrating solution after you’ve done your race bit each day of course!

Having posted my own contribution and reading other people's, I agree with this. I wouldn't go either.

😂You're my kind of person. 👏

I've done Luxor at about 50⁰c. It was utterly miserable. Be sure to check opening times for sites if you're planning very early starts. Cairo was a very comfortable 30 after that! Oh, TMI - don't drink anything very cold until you've cooled down - it'll go straight through you! 🤢

Take diarylite with you, you're gonna need it

What excursions are you planning to do? That part sounds miserable. You’ll probably be ok lying by the pool/ trip to local site or museum etc in early morning/ late afternoon but I’d be in air con room around mid day. Are you going to the coast?

When you leave the air conditioning it’s like opening up a hot oven door.
I wouldn’t choose to go somewhere on holiday where it would be 35 + degrees every single day. It’s way too hot to do anything apart from swimming in the pool.

You do acclimatise to it, I’ve been to Dubai in August, average 47. The heat hit you when you stepped out of the airport but after a day or so it wasn’t an issue. You still need to be sensible but we loved the weather, although a pool is essential, the sea was like getting in a warm bath.

Alot of good advice here but noone has mentioned taking something warm for inside because sometimes you can freeze to death on airplanes or in air conditioned hotels- museums. Nothing worse than having a cold when it's really hot outside! Wear light colors OP, your beautiful brown body will absorb less heat- which you probably already know . Have a great trip. ;)