First Ever Severe Heatwave Warning for the UK, help!

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KitLily
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15 Jul 2022, 5:57 am

This may seem trivial to people who live in hot climates, but we've never a severe heatwave warning in Britain before, this one is a code red on the government chart. The temperature will go to 40C or more next week. The very old and young, and even the middle people are at risk.

Any advice on how to keep cool? Hardly anyone in the UK has air conditioning, let alone a swimming pool, and our houses are designed to keep heat in at all costs because it's usually cold and rainy here.

My friend in California advised to put a cold wet towel on the back of the neck to help cool down.

Americans, Australians, help! :(


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kraftiekortie
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15 Jul 2022, 6:02 am

It’s probably not going up to 40C.

The forecast is for two days of high temperatures between 35 and 37 Celsius in the hottest locales. Then, on July 20th, the max temp goes down to 24C (SE London).

Make sure you have at least a fan. Seek to keep out the Sun from your living area. Take frequent lukewarm to cool showers. Dress in light-colored clothes. If you live near a mall, go to it. Especially if you like to window shop, anyway.

Yep….the wet towel idea.



KitLily
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15 Jul 2022, 6:33 am

Thank you for the advice. :heart: So that's why Americans are always taking showers! I always wondered. We take showers to keep warm.

Even so, 35-37C is very, very rare in Britain. Usually we're struggling when it gets to 30C. The NHS is at breaking point anyway due to covid and lack of money, I'm not sure how they could cope with a rush of heat related illnesses. :?

I read this in the Financial Times:

"Then there is quality of life. Readers from warmer climes might wonder why 35C is worth making a fuss about, but relative to most countries the UK is unprepared for the pace of the climate transition, with far lower rates of air conditioning installation, unsuitable housing design, and transit systems that become almost unusable during high temperatures. One in four dwellings in England already experiences overheating."

Train tracks have already caught fire recently and our tarmac melts in extreme heat.


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Mountain Goat
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15 Jul 2022, 6:38 am

KitLily wrote:
This may seem trivial to people who live in hot climates, but we've never a severe heatwave warning in Britain before, this one is a code red on the government chart. The temperature will go to 40C or more next week. The very old and young, and even the middle people are at risk.

Any advice on how to keep cool? Hardly anyone in the UK has air conditioning, let alone a swimming pool, and our houses are designed to keep heat in at all costs because it's usually cold and rainy here.

My friend in California advised to put a cold wet towel on the back of the neck to help cool down.

Americans, Australians, help! :(


West Wales is cool at the moment.

Yes. A damp towel is a rather good idea. At night use a hot water bottle and put cold water into it.


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kitesandtrainsandcats
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15 Jul 2022, 6:42 am

KitLily wrote:
Any advice on how to keep cool?
Americans, Australians, help! :(


I'm in the American midwest where that kind of summer temperature is not odd but do have several friends in UK via model railways and spacecraft, and via here.

Found this from the UK Met Office,
Tips for keeping cool in hot weather
Most of us welcome hot weather, but when it's too hot for too long, there are health risks.
https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/wa ... eople-cool

Among its content:
"
Tips for coping in hot weather this summer:
The UK Health Security Agency has published a number of resources outlining the risks of heat and actions you can take to protect yourself and others. This includes a 'Beat the Heat: Keep cool at home checklist' https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... -checklist which is available on the Heatwave plan for England https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... or-england page.
"

And from NHS,
Heatwave: how to cope in hot weather
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/seasonal-h ... t-weather/


From here in the US,
https://www.weather.gov/safety/heat-during
"
–How to Stay Safe During Excessive Heat Events

Outdoor Activities

Slow down. Reduce, eliminate or reschedule strenuous activities until the coolest time of the day. Those particularly vulnerable to heat such as children, infants, older adults (especially those who have preexisting diseases, take certain medications, living alone or with limited mobility), those with chronic medical conditions, and pregnant women should stay in the coolest available place, not necessarily indoors.
Dress for summer. Wear lightweight, loose fitting, light-colored clothing to reflect heat and sunlight.
Minimize direct exposure to the sun. Sunburn reduces your body's ability to dissipate heat.

Eating and Drinking

Eat light, cool, easy-to-digest foods such as fruit or salads. If you pack food, put it in a cooler or carry an ice pack. Don't leave it sitting in the sun. Meats and dairy products can spoil quickly in hot weather.
Drink plenty of water (not very cold), non-alcoholic and decaffeinated fluids, even if you don't feel thirsty. If you are on a fluid-restrictive diet or have a problem with fluid retention, consult a physician before increasing consumption of fluids.
Do not take salt tablets unless specified by a physician.

Cooling Down

Use air conditioners or spend time in air-conditioned locations such as malls and libraries.
Use portable electric fans to exhaust hot air from rooms or draw in cooler air.
Do not direct the flow of portable electric fans toward yourself when room temperature is hotter than 90°F. The dry blowing air will dehydrate you faster, endangering your health.
Take a cool bath or shower.

Check on Others

Check on older, sick, or frail people who may need help responding to the heat. Each year, dozens of children and untold numbers of pets left in parked vehicles die from hyperthermia. Keep your children, disabled adults, and pets safe during tumultuous heat waves.
Don't leave valuable electronic equipment, such as cell phones and gps units, sitting in hot cars.
Make sure rooms are well vented if you are using volatile chemicals.
For more heat health tips, go to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

+ Safety Tips for Parents and Caregivers
+ Community Interventions
+ Heat Safety for Outdoor Workers
"


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KitLily
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15 Jul 2022, 6:43 am

Thanks everyone.

btw I like chatting to people and having conversations, that's why I didn't just Google all these things. Thanks for finding out for me though.


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kraftiekortie
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15 Jul 2022, 6:45 am

It seems as if the UK is experiencing heatwaves more frequently, almost yearly. The government should seek to do better in handling them—just like they have to get better at snow removal.



kraftiekortie
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15 Jul 2022, 6:48 am

Make sure your living space is well-ventilated.



kitesandtrainsandcats
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15 Jul 2022, 6:50 am

For the sake of trivia and curiosity, here's our weather in central Missouri, courtesy the National Weather Service,
and, yes, this heat is normal and at the same time is a recognized issue here.
95F = 35C, for getting a sense of proportion.
Tuesday's 101F = 38.3C

:arrow: On YouTube I follow a number of liveaboard narrowboaters in UK & am concerned for them in this heat wave.

"
Detailed Forecast

Today
A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms between 10am and 11am. Partly sunny, with a high near 96. Heat index values as high as 99. South southwest wind 6 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Tonight
Partly cloudy, with a low around 76. South wind 8 to 10 mph.

Saturday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 94. Heat index values as high as 99. West wind 8 to 13 mph.

Saturday Night
A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72. Northwest wind 5 to 8 mph becoming light and variable. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Sunday
A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 89. South wind around 6 mph becoming west in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Sunday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 69.

Monday
Sunny, with a high near 94.

Monday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 72.

Tuesday
Sunny and hot, with a high near 101.

Tuesday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 75.

Wednesday
Sunny, with a high near 95.

Wednesday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 69.

Thursday
Sunny and hot, with a high near 98.
"


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KitLily
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15 Jul 2022, 7:00 am

kraftiekortie wrote:
It seems as if the UK is experiencing heatwaves more frequently, almost yearly. The government should seek to do better in handling them—just like they have to get better at snow removal.


They should. But we have a right wing government and all the candidates for being the new Prime Minister want to slow down or stop environmental measures to cut emissions etc. and most actively want to increase fracking and using fossil fuels etc. They aren't interested in moving to renewable energy, so really they are saying they don't care if the weather gets hotter, and they don't see climate change as really happening. It's like banging your head against a brick wall.


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Misslizard
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15 Jul 2022, 7:37 am

Instead of hot tea drink iced tea,Southern sweet tea with lemon is the best.Stay hydrated.Wear the minimum amount of breathable light colored clothes (don’t forget the sunscreen and sun glasses)
You can get bandanas with gel in them for cooling the neck.You soak them in cold water and the gel stays cools and wet.
If it’s cool at night ,open windows but shut them before it heats up.Cover the windows with curtains to keep heat out.
Do all activities early in the morning while it’s cool.
Get a fan, use baby powder on the sheets and yourself to help stay cool and dry.
Don’t walk dogs on hot pavement (burnt paws)and be careful of pets and kids left in cars.
Witch hazel is cooling to wipe down with.
Place bowls of water outside for wildlife but make sure they are shallow enough to prevent drowning.
You can make a homemade ac with a block of ice, a styrofoam cooler and a small fan.Only cools what’s in front of it and not a whole room.There are YouTube videos that show how.I made one to try out and it worked, just don’t expect it to cool the house.Works best blowing directly on you.
Our heat wave is just getting going with no end or rain in sight.Triple digit heat on its way.I watched what would have been gallons of blackberries shrivel and dry up. :cry:


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KitLily
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15 Jul 2022, 7:42 am

Thanks Misslizard for all that good advice!

We are used to rain in Britain. Rain, rain and more rain. Not hot weather.

I hope your triple digit heat is Fahrenheit not Celsius! lol.


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Biscuitman
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15 Jul 2022, 7:42 am

forecasting 38C for me on Monday in the home counties 8O



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15 Jul 2022, 7:53 am

Last time we had a major event like this it was 111 on my thermometer.The worst part was smelling smoke in the air.We we’re told to have bug out bags with all your vital stuff like medicine , documents , cash etc and to have pet carriers ready to go.That had never happened before, we don’t get big wildfires like out west.
It hasn’t rained in weeks ,so I’m expecting a repeat.


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kitesandtrainsandcats
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15 Jul 2022, 8:05 am

Misslizard wrote:
we don’t get big wildfires like out west.
It hasn’t rained in weeks ,so I’m expecting a repeat.

While I'm wishing for y'all's sake you don't have wildfires, I'm also considering the little detail that wildfires in your area are a whole lot closer to my area than the ones out west are!

Oh, and while we're posting links,
Fire Weather
Weather.gov > Fire Weather
https://www.weather.gov/fire/


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kraftiekortie
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15 Jul 2022, 8:19 am

We, in the US, use Fahrenheit exclusively.

I am able to convert Fahrenheit to Celsius, and vice versa, though.

The highest temperature ever recorded in the world, since recordkeeping began, is 136 Fahrenheit, or about 57 Celsius. This is "shade" temperature. All temperatures quoted in forecast are "shade" temperatures.