Potential severe heatwave next week. (week of 21st July)

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

Something to really watch. GFS model is really looking a bit crackers next week with high temps of perhaps 35c mid week and night minima in the mid 20s. I'll post more tomorrow, but it doesn't look like the traditional school holiday cool down

I'm cooking lunch for 40 tomorrow...

Hahaha

Oh no!!!!

Health advice - if you normally have low blood pressure it could be even lower right now! One of the things your body does as it gets too hot is pump more blood to the extremities, this both raises your pulse rate and lowers your blood pressure.
This lower blood pressure (for those of us who already suffer) and the loss of salts through sweating can be part of what makes you feel really ill. It is important to replace lost salt - so eating crisps or rehydration sachets can help.
If you are like me, then you could be struggling to keep your heart rate down to "normal" levels - below 100. Try not to rush around. Relax. Try to cool down.
If it really races (mine got to 200 a couple of years ago) then you should go to A and E - but hospitals are not great when it's hot.

I have taken advice online and shut all windows and curtains/blinds.

Its made a bit of difference but not that much tbh.

I just can't function in this heat. I'm sweating so much. I'll need another shower later...

I havd had fruit for the sugar and crisps for the salt.

Drinking lots of cold water (not iced) just from the tap.

DH hails from a v hot country (40°+ in summer) so taught me the trick of wetting the ground to cool the air down. I’ve sprayed water on the patio in front of the bigger (open) windows. It seems to have slightly brought down the temp of the air blowing into the house. Those windows aren’t in direct sunlight luckily, or I don’t think it would work at all. I usually keep all the windows and curtains closed until evening, but it was awful despite that, hence trying the water trick.
I’ve followed the low blood pressure advice and have been enjoying lots of crisps - at least they don’t melt! Hope everyone’s managing to stay at least a bit cool.

I've been doing the all windows curtains shut thing and it makes a huge difference. Initially at least. Tuesday on the first day of hot hot temps house felt really cool compared to outside. Slowly it's heating up everything so it's less effective but I will be doing it tomorrow again. My local forecast is 36. 🥴

I darent check my forecast...

My ThermPro is saying it's 45% humidity and 26.7 degrees C in my flat right now and it says that is Comfort! Not sure I agree it's comfortable... I'm hot.

Least the heat seems to be going down a bit now... roll on tomorrow.

It's getting cooler...just about...

Yep I'm hanging on to get tomorrow dove then onwards with some more normal summer ! I hope!

Still 24 here...

Windows open all night and it's 23 degrees indoors. Today is going to be fun, I'm heading West (have a meeting in Bath) and may stay there a while if it is a bit cooler over to the West than towards London.

There is a reasonable probability of the all time record falling today. Not guaranteed though.

There may well be transport disruption in the SE. If heading into work, Id act as though the air conditioning (if you have it) and possibly refrigeration may fail and take appropriate steps - especially for those who use trains.

Then we have the potential for storms tonight, with a greater focus on the eastern side than on Tuesday night.

Aggg it is getting hot out really early today. Windows shut to keep the cool in.

I'm cooking for a voluntary group today.

Pray for me.

24 degrees at 8am in Central London (Barbican area). On a course, thankfully with full air con but our tutor is coming in on South east trains.

23 degrees at 8am here too - East Midlands.

28 degrees in my flat in South East London right now, and that's in the coolest room!

Oh, yeah, it's hotter than that inside - 23 is the outside temp. It's about 25-26 in most of my rooms .

Temperatures are rising rapidly. The met office now have it as a 70% chance of beating the all time record.

I have a doctors appt at 11 and I have to get the rickety, non Air conditioned, rural bus into town. I'm absolutely dreading it. My asthma is absolutely horrendous atm, the pollen and pollution combined are killer. I'm genuinely frightened about going out. If you've never been in a situation where you actually can't breathe then I can accept that I might sound a bit dramatic!

Gosh, haven't experienced heat like this since my mum made us visit the Acropolis in Athens (at midday in the middle of July) as a teenager! It was 40 degrees and I nearly melted on the spot.

Got SIL and DNephews coming, the idea is that the kids will cool off in the paddling pool whilst we sit in the shade... I'm not sure they'll even want to go on the garden (2 out of 3 have ASD, Inc DD) so will see how this goes!

Hope everyone is keeping well and looking after themselves in the heat. Sparing a thought to anyone commuting today or stuck in offices without AC.

So very thankful for my portable AC unit right now. We live in a flat with no garden, it's my day off with my three year old, today and no way am I taking him to the park or anything in this. Can't drive either so can't do swimming or shopping centre etc.

We'll be in our air conditioned living room all day. Can't believe it's not even ten yet. Going to be a bloody long day.

Any and all activity ideas welcome!

Today is going to be very long and dull indeed.

Kitten, am I right in thinking most UK air con doesn’t work above certain temps?

It’s 25 downstairs and upstairs feels much hotter. I’ve managed to find a fan in a cupboard which is at least moving the air around a bit.

I think the outside temp has gone past the point where opening the windows is going to be helpful.