Who else cant wait for this heatwave to end??

[Hirudine]

2 hours ago, Nick L said:

Agree regarding the "accumulating heat" comment. I just cannot get my flat cool. Going to open the loft hatch tonight in the desperate hope that it'll help. I'm seriously considering booking into an air conditioned hotel. Struggling to get it below 28c in here, currently 30

You have my sympathies! After two days of working for 8 hours in 32 degree heat in my workshop, I'm not feeling too fab. I think I'd be very ill if I had to endure those sort of temps at home too.

One tip I can recommend (from some US chums) is putting a damp towel in the freezer for 10-20 mins. Draped over your neck/ shoulders, it'll really helps, as it cools the blood flow to your brain. It's been absolute bliss after walking 2 miles home.

[feb1991blizzard]

5 minutes ago, cheese said:

Wouldn't be so sure about that - in a typical winter the number of deaths due to cold-related issues is in the thousands anyway. There were 34,000 excess deaths in the winter of 2016/2017. Heatwaves are definitely less disruptive to daily life than cold spells.

Depends on ability to prepare, you can do pretty much jack in heat, you can do loads wrt cold,

[feb1991blizzard]

7 minutes ago, cheese said:

Wouldn't be so sure about that - in a typical winter the number of deaths due to cold-related issues is in the thousands anyway. There were 34,000 excess deaths in the winter of 2016/2017. Heatwaves are definitely less disruptive to daily life than cold spells.

Depends on ability to prepare, you can do pretty much jack in heat, you can do loads wrt cold,

[ShinyDave]

6 minutes ago, cheese said:

Wouldn't be so sure about that - in a typical winter the number of deaths due to cold-related issues is in the thousands anyway. There were 34,000 excess deaths in the winter of 2016/2017. Heatwaves are definitely less disruptive to daily life than cold spells.

Just looked to ONS data myself. Interestingly, while winter in general does produce much higher death totals than summer, severe cold doesn't seem to produce nearly as clear a link to excess deaths as severe heat. There were more excess deaths in the winter of 2011/12 than the two much more severe winters before it!

(I would say that excess deaths from both are absolutely in part a preparation issue in terms of looking after vulnerable people.)

[Mark Bayley]

Given how awful tonight is we could certainly do with a mini rest bite!

[ShinyDave]

2 minutes ago, feb1991blizzard said:

Depends on ability to prepare, you can do pretty much jack in heat, you can do loads wrt cold,

Depends on ability to prepare indeed, and that will vary!

For some people, cold is more disruptive because of dangerous conditions on footpaths and roads. That in turn creates disruption for food supplies, certainly in snowy conditions like in March this year where everyone stocked up on bread (helpfully we had two loaves in the freezer!).

But for other people, heat is more disruptive because it slows everything drastically down and there's not nearly as many ways of dealing with it.

Ultimately both can cause significant inconvenience for most people and significant danger for vulnerable individuals. The difference is that this kind of weather gets positively cheered on by a lot of people, which is beyond infuriating for someone like me who finds it legitimately disabling.

[darren10000]

I bought a Air conditioner and its lovely, dread to think about the electricity bill I'll be getting though..... 

[feb1991blizzard]

16 minutes ago, ShinyDave said:

Depends on ability to prepare indeed, and that will vary!

For some people, cold is more disruptive because of dangerous conditions on footpaths and roads. That in turn creates disruption for food supplies, certainly in snowy conditions like in March this year where everyone stocked up on bread (helpfully we had two loaves in the freezer!).

But for other people, heat is more disruptive because it slows everything drastically down and there's not nearly as many ways of dealing with it.

Ultimately both can cause significant inconvenience for most people and significant danger for vulnerable individuals. The difference is that this kind of weather gets positively cheered on by a lot of people, which is beyond infuriating for someone like me who finds it legitimately disabling.

I have to admit I hate this weather but I positively cheer on cold to the point of of being gutted when we don't get a massive snow and brutal cold, I would happily take the climate of Siberia in winter.

[Tom Quintavalle]

Have succumbed to the heat in the bedroom tonight, despite having a fan on full blast and have come downstairs, to sit under our other fan.

Fortunately, Stepson has remedied our internet connection, which was down, bless him!! Evidently, still around 23c outside, yuck!!

Really looking forward to getting, what little hair I have left, cut tomorrow. Although I have little on top, it's still quite thick at the back and the sides and makes the back of my neck, very sweaty and sticky, in this weather!!

Before my brain haemorrhage/stroke, in 2015, I used to have my head shaved but my wife doesn't like it and she's worried that vibration from clippers, will cause another brain bleed, despite my Consultant Neurologist assuring her, it wouldn't!! Says a shaved head makes me look a bit thuggish and Italian Mafioso-ish. A bit like this -  

I prefer it like this, much less hassle, low maintenance and easier than trying to arrange a couple of strands, on top of my head!! Anyway, she's boss, so I won't be having it shaved tomorrow, more's the pity!! He's a better detective than me, anyway!!

Ended up in casualty at Queen Mary's hospital, Sidcup, on Monday evening, after my left ankle became swollen to twice the size of the right one!! Wife takes no chances with me now, after seeing me die twice, after my brain haemorrhage.  Worrying that it was a blood clot, whipped me off to casualty, bless her. After seeing a triage nurse, BP was fine, that was reassuring. Then waited three hours to see a doctor, who reassured us, it wasn't a blood clot but in his opinion, a reaction, to the extreme heat.

Doctor told me to rest the leg, as much as possible, keep it elevated and drink plenty of fluids. 

After really struggling in this heat, perhaps I won't be so bullish about cold and snow!! As we know, that can also be a health hazard, to the sick and elderly. As the saying goes, "One man's meat, is another man's poison!!

Regards,

Tom.  

[Lucy]

On 24/07/2018 at 16:28, lassie23 said:

In the south-east too and you would think that sun and heat would be good for the garden, but nope, courgettes dead, tomatoes dead, cucumbers dead, peas dead strawberries dead, pumpkins dead, got loads of spinach though lol

Popeye! Gutting you lost everything else. Today was super hot again, and tonight the choice is, open the window for some air and cooling plus get bitten to death by mossies or window closed and bake to death. 

Yikes. That's it, I'm going to Google "rain dance" see if that works. Lol. Desperate measures. 

[Jon Somerset]

I’m over in the west where it’s not been so hot the last few days.

I love the heat. 

Long evening walks - sunning in the garden - balmy nights. Bring it on. This is the best summer ever. I’ve not been able to take a holiday this year, so I’m overjoyed the Mediterranean summer has come up to us. 

I know I’m in good health and have friends and close others who hate it and feel unwell, so I’m lucky - I’m also someone who can manage easily in sticky warmth as I’m very happy wearing next to nothing - I get more done and have more energy in weather like this.

I’m glad for others that the rain is due this weekend- but did it HAVE to break on my first free weekend at home in a month? 

[Snowyowl9]

Back in 2003 it was a one day heatwave of 28c here.

[Bazza Barry Eveling]

Well I’m in the county of Kent and think I’m acclimatising to this hot weather at long last so I’m happy for it to stay. It looks like though it’ll break down in the next couple of days with thunderstorms and my cats will not like them one bit. Two of them have been living outdoors for weeks now.

[Lauren]

45 minutes ago, Bazza Barry Eveling said:

Well I’m in the county of Kent and think I’m acclimatising to this hot weather at long last so I’m happy for it to stay. It looks like though it’ll break down in the next couple of days with thunderstorms and my cats will not like them one bit. Two of them have been living outdoors for weeks now.

Please keep them in at night. Far too many are being lost at night to the UK cat killer.

[Nick L]

12 hours ago, Mark Bayley said:

Given how awful tonight is we could certainly do with a mini rest bite!

...a what?

[Snowy L]

There have been a couple of moments where I just start to get fed up but on the whole I have loved it. This is a once in 50 years thing.

[Mark Bayley]

30 minutes ago, Nick L said:

...a what?

You see its it's even effecting my grammar. 

 

The respite looks a couple of days now. Then a return to something much warmer in the middle of week. The never ending summer continues!

[MP-R]

If this 'heatwave' is going to be as cloudy as it is, I'd rather it finish and resume with sunshine next week!

[Puddy Galore]

11 hours ago, Lucy said:

 

That's it, I'm going to Google "rain dance" see if that works. Lol. Desperate measures. 

Lol, I've already done this.  Found I think it was a north American rain dance and performed it in the kitchen one evening last week..................my cats thought I had lost the plot and........nope it didn't work!

[tornado tams]

please let it end, just about to start a shift in a very hot factory, the so called accessible water is not.

[Katrine Basso]

Promises of rain have practically disappeared for Thurrock, Basildon and surrounding areas. I wonder if there will ever be any rain for London and the South East.

[Schnee]

23 hours ago, darren10000 said:

I bought a Air conditioner and its lovely, dread to think about the electricity bill I'll be getting though..... 

 Mine has added about £45 to the bill this Summer, according to the smart meter.....

[Tom Quintavalle]

Really looking forward to the fresher air, forecast for tomorrow, now. Wife took me to get a good trim, yesterday morning, in Chislehurst (N.W.Kent/S.E.London border). Sweating so much, in the barber's chair, the barber had to keep spraying me!! My head can breathe again, now, paradise!!  Went and did a bit of shopping afterwards, in Bromley (N.W.Kent/S.E.London border) and the heat was really intense.

We have two pedestal fans at home ( one in the lounge, a cheapo from Sainsbury's) and one in the bedroom ( which I bought from Argos, a few years ago), it's made by Bionaire, more expensive but have had real value for money from it, over the last few years. As I've stated before, our rooms are "dolls house" sized and the heat just accumulates, day on day.

We tried to buy another one for the lounge, as the Sainsburys one, isn't efficient enough but everywhere has been sold out. Managed to buy one, on Amazon, which is being delivered today and will be in place, before the next predicted, burst of intense heat, hopefully won't be as intense, as what we've just endured!!

If you're looking for a very efficient pedestal fan, can't recommend the Bionaire fan, enough!!

Regards,

Tom. 

Edited July 27, 2018 by TomSE12

[Tom Quintavalle]

After such an uncomfortable night (actually went downstairs, at 1 am and fell asleep, under the fan, wife got up at 5.15, to get ready for her early shift and found me asleep, on the sofa), nice to see dew points, falling away somewhat, from the west.

http://www.meteociel.fr/observations-meteo/point-de-rosee.php

Poor Colette, is a Senior Carer in a Residential Care Home in Chislehurst. She spends most of the time is this sort of weather, drenched through, with sweat. The elderly residents don't like the fans being on, as it makes them feel cold, obviously they have circulatory problems, so the staff, suffer!! BUPA, charge around £1,000 per week , to the residents or Bromley Council for these rooms but they're too tight-fisted to install, adequate air-con, for their staff!! Disgraceful!!

Regards,

Tom.  

[Nick L]

I think this week has finally been the tipping point where the majority are sick of the heat. Tomorrow is looking gorgeous, however. Mid-20s and dew points in single figures. Perfect.