This is possibly the single dumbest meme on the Internet.
The French would be absolutely delighted with 32C, rather than temps which are up to 10C higher.
18 people have died due to the heat.
The meme is commenting on how the MSM/SM "portrays" the temperature (in order to try to promote global warming fear etc) it's not commenting on the actual temperature in France - which is currently 30 deg and raining in Paris 🙂
It's the humidity thats the killer in this heat.
Sweat doesn't work anymore. You just keep heating up.
Flipping trains are cancelled in Manchester - it's not going to be that hot.
The consequences of having a train fail due to the heat (and that could be warped rails, overheating, knackered overhead lines...) and then be stranded there with no working aircon and no way off it and (very likely) almost no supplies of drinking water on board are pretty horrific. You can't safely evacuate passengers, you can't safely keep them on board...
Spring was a bad time for breakdowns too; the pollen clogs up the radiators on certain units (some trains are more affected than others, depends on the design), it was already hot and the trains simply died of the train equivalent of heat exhaustion.
Last winter, Network Rail closed a line across the Peak District, based on forecasts which were obviously hyped up by the media of snowbomb of death beast from the east, Britain could be carpeted by 10ft of snow in MINUTES! type thing because of fears of the train being stranded in a massive snowdrift and then having to call in very big helicopters to get everyone off. There was no other access.
Naturally, it turned out that there was about 4mm of snow and a bit of a chilly wind so everyone accused them of overreacting. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.
As I said earlier, everything in the UK has been built for the last hundred years on the basis that the temperature is usually -2 to +25.
+40 is when roads and rails begin to melt / bend and equipment overheats and fails.
Already back from the roadie chain gang. That map is quite accurate, 11h (10h UK) and currently 32°C in the shade but by16h it'll be over 40 like yesterday.
Second heat wave of the year and it's only just Summer. As above, the climato-sceptics/it's natural cycles types are on thinner and thinner ice.
Adaption for humans means living in the early morning. Crops can't adapt and losses are already significant. More and more agricultural land is being abadonned around the Med as the vines/fruit trees/whatever die off to be replaced with inflamable scrub. Crop scorching for want of a better translation is a feature of these heat domes.
It looks like it's another El Niño year which is bad news for a lot of countries in Africa as well as Latin America and IME often means a couple of lousy ski seasons locally.
People aren't daft, they'll understand even if Trump and the deniers on the right in general continue to kid themselves and anyone who'll listen which is fewer as the heat waves go by.
The meme is commenting on how the MSM/SM "portrays" the temperature (in order to try to promote global warming fear etc) it's not commenting on the actual temperature in France - which is currently 30 deg and raining in Paris
It's not though is it?
Didn't one of the meteorological agencies have to come out and admit that yes they had changed the color coding, but the other way. What was red 20 years ago was now yellow because they'd run out out shades of red, invented purple isotherms and were trying to avoid coloring maps in black?
What has changed since the 70's is people now no longer cite "Dave down the pub" as their source, they just tell you that "MSM" is wrong and keep the fact they now believe every word "Dave off TikTok" says quiet. Was it Eamon Holmes or Richard Madeley that blamed "Mainstream Media" on live TV without a hint of irony? Either way, like your dad wearing Superdry hoodies or politicians jumping on social media trends, it was surely the sign that it was no longer cool or edgy.
@Edukator - how's the heat there?
My friend in Paris sent me a photo yesterday of a pharmacy sign showing 53C. Even if you allow for it sitting in the sun all day it's probably well over 40C in the city.
Starting to feel like we've won the climate lottery living in the Highlands.
The meme is commenting on how the MSM/SM "portrays" the temperature (in order to try to promote global warming fear etc) it's not commenting on the actual temperature in France - which is currently 30 deg and raining in Paris
It's not though is it?
Oh, I think it very much is. It was sent to me (WhatsApp) about 3 weeks ago, 27th May, when we had a heat blip in the UK of 30-odd C
In retrospect, perhaps posting it here last night when nearer 40-45 in France wasn't very tactful, so apologies if anyone thinks it's offensive. But it was only meant to raise a smile about the way we see life in general being taken so much more seriously than 50 years ago. As a 14 year old, I spent all that summer playing in the farm fields, only came home when I was hungry.
It's been 39-41 the last few afternoons, Elshalimo, more in the very mineral town centre. It's a bit like Madrid or Cordoba in August in the 80s. More of a problem is that the temperature doesn't drop as much as it used to at night, it was still 25°C an hour before sun rise this morning which doesn't give much scope for cooling the house down, currently 28°C inside. We cook outside and avoid using appliances to limit the heat gain. One day we'll need air con but for the moment insulation and shutters keep it reasonable.
crikey - sounds awful but sadly increasingly frequent.
But it was only meant to raise a smile about the way we see life in general being taken so much more seriously than 50 years ago.
I don't think that's the case at all. We do take climate change and its effects far more seriously though. But still not seriously enough. There's also the basic, obvious and simple fact that a "heat wave" in the high twenties absolutely should not be reported the same was one in the low forties. We are not looking at the same "high temperatures" now as we were 50 years ago... it's not the same story... which that meme pretends that it is.
It's like all the cunning graphs that show "number of days where the temperature is over 30 degrees"... when there were years in the past where there were many of those days... but ignoring the fact that the dangers of a period of 31 degree and 39 degrees (or 41, or...) days are very, very different. Anything to pretend regular periods of extreme heat aren't significant... or genuine news.
I don't think that's the case at all. We do take climate change and its effects far more seriously though. But still not seriously enough.
It needs to be national news every day. And not pics of people on the beach with a headline saying "Brits flock to the seaside as temperature SOARS!"
I don't think anyone, from the average punter on the street to national Government have grasped quite how serious this could be, in spite of the various warnings.
this is from Ed Hawkins - the guy who designed the warming stripes - he has an interesting dashboard for the current heat wave
Thursday is going to be ugly...
Specially if you're down there... 🤪
In retrospect, perhaps posting it here last night when nearer 40-45 in France wasn't very tactful, so apologies if anyone thinks it's offensive.
Its not that its offensive but that it is bollocks and generally used by special interest groups to try and claim its perception vs reality.
As a 14 year old, I spent all that summer playing in the farm fields, only came home when I was hungry.
And plenty of kids now will be enjoying extra time off and you probably missed how people were taking it seriously. Laws were passed, there was a spike in excess deaths and you might have noticed those farm fields were suboptimal that year resulting in higher prices.
That year also stands out as a rarity vs the increasing frequency.
It has been here on TF1 and France 2 at 19h55 for several years. Very slowly people who can afford to and own their own homes are adapting - heat pumps rather than gas central heating, leccy cars, intelligent purchasing... . Most people don't have that luxury though. Amongst my mates making an effort we all know that what we do won't make any difference but we sleep easier and don't feel as guilty about what we're leaving our kids.It needs to be national news every day.
Kids were given the option of going home at lunch time at Madame's school yesterday, not one kid rocked up for the afternoon.
I'll go for a swim in the local outdoor pool shortly, the water temperature is rising every day because it doesn't cool down at night, I'm not sure it'll be swimable by the end of the week.
I'm in Scottish borders. I've cooled my room down to 27°C, it'll stay there all day now the sun.is off the windows.
I'll have kids moaning it's too hot while wearing hoodies. I may get a touch grumpy.
There's a radiator downstairs in the basement kitchen that I can't control, it's on full right now. It will remain on full until the winter, when it will, of course, turn itself off. It's been like this so long, no one can remember it ever working any other way.
Very amusing interactive map that, Elshalimo. I clicked on Trawsgoed near where I used to live and apparently "it's roasting" at 27.2°C. If that's "roasting" what's the 37°C and rising fast I now have on my shade thermometer? Not that it's problem on a personal level, it's just a bit hot out. If El Niño runs to forecast 2027 is going to be a existential crisis for millions.
Madame has just got in from school, at 11h the teachers took the kids who did turn up today out to shelter under the trees.
It will remain on full until the winter, when it will, of course, turn itself off. It's been like this so long, no one can remember it ever working any other way.
When I took posession of a new build the under floor heating did that, it took me a month to realise the installer had inverted the poles on the thermostat. 🙂
Ironic that 90% of the population disappears to foreign climes for their summer hols to bake on beaches in the Med etc but get above 30 degrees in the UK and its "too hot" and stuff gets cancelled.
There's a big difference between chilling at the beach in 35C and having to work, OBVIOUSLY
It needs to be national news every day.
No, because people would ignore it (even more than they do now).
There's a big difference between chilling at the beach in 35C and having to work, OBVIOUSLY
There's also a big difference between being in a country that's designed to operate at those sort of temperatures. Most of southern Europe is already well set to deal with regular heat at 30-35 degrees, same way that Scandinavia doesn't fall to bits at the first sign of snow.
The UK is not used to (or built for) dealing with either of those extremes.
One thing this weather means I need to do is invest in some new water bottles for my road bike (Sorry!).
Anyone have any recommendations on those that are best for keeping water cold?
Isn't the problem more to do with solar gain? Cavity walls still insulate you both ways, a single skin would absorb and transfer even more heat
Insulation does work both ways, but you get to a point where the inside air is hotter than you want; but so is the outside air even at 3am, and so is the four inches of red clay brickwork surrounding your house so there is nowhere (aside from AC) to actually get cooler air from.
the big thick walls of desert dwellers only work because nighttime temperatures are actually quite cool.
One thing this weather means I need to do is invest in some new water bottles for my road bike (Sorry!).
Anyone have any recommendations on those that are best for keeping water cold?
Works really well on hot days, pre-chill the bottle then fill with cold water, even add a couple of icecubes.
35°C is OK even if you have to work, drink plenty, wear suitable clothes (not a swim suit) if outside. It's beyond 35°C that it becomes unpleasant IME. Whether cleaning overheating mobile homes in August or working in Marseille in a glass fronted building opposite OM it's when the thermometer has risen beyond 35°C that my body and brain have started to protest. A fan becomes your friend. Which reminds me I ought to buy one.
I just use white Zefal water bottles. I can drink more cool/tepid water than cold water so no ice cubes.
There's a radiator downstairs in the basement kitchen that I can't control, it's on full right now. It will remain on full until the winter, when it will, of course, turn itself off. It's been like this so long, no one can remember it ever working any other way.
Thermostatic valves on the other rads? Perhaps what you have is a system that's always on with the basement rad as the sink, so when it's warm and the controlable rads are 'off', this one gets really hot, but when the other rads are 'on', the basement one is the last in the chain and so is the coolest in the building.
Very amusing interactive map that, Elshalimo. I clicked on Trawsgoed near where I used to live and apparently "it's roasting" at 27.2°C. If that's "roasting" what's the 37°C and rising fast I now have on my shade thermometer? Not that it's problem on a personal level, it's just a bit hot out. If El Niño runs to forecast 2027 is going to be a existential crisis for millions.
That chart is saying how hot it is compared to the typical temperature for June 23rd in that location.
Currently it is 28.6c there which is warmer than 99% of June 23rds for that location on record.
Ugh. Supposed to be taking my son to a gig in Crystal Palace gardens Friday evening from the Midlands.
Train is a really bad idea, isn't it? Not sure driving will be much more fun tbh. Staying in Bromley.
If it were just me and not a potentially very disappointed 13 yo I'd bail!
One thing this weather means I need to do is invest in some new water bottles for my road bike (Sorry!).
Anyone have any recommendations on those that are best for keeping water cold?
I have plastic camel back bottle
Would not recommend. It keeps a bottle of water cooler for about an hour. Not sure what I was expecting, but more than that!
the big thick walls of desert dwellers only work because nighttime temperatures are actually quite cool.
Some clever use of evaporative cooling also, central courtyard with water feature in the middle and wind catcher towers.
Thermostatic valves on the other rads?
Ye, I think so, and our plumber agrees with your assessment, it's currently on the list of "Things that need sorting at some point that on first glance seem individually small, but are in fact major issues that are going to cost 1. 'some' cash, and 2. some disruption" plus the partners need to look the other way while I fix the other 5-6 items on the list above it.
The joys of using old houses as GP practices...
I forgot to check the temperature of the water in the local pool, warm enough to slow us down after about 20min. The pool is shutting between 14h and 16h because of the heat wave, a national initiative to stop people exercising when it's too hot.
Just traversed London on a motorbike - was actually sweating more on Friday than today, doing pretty much the same journey but later in the day, heat off the bike when trying to filter is the tough part.
35°C is OK even if you have to work, drink plenty, wear suitable clothes (not a swim suit) if outside. It's beyond 35°C that it becomes unpleasant IME. Whether cleaning overheating mobile homes in August or working in Marseille in a glass fronted building opposite OM it's when the thermometer has risen beyond 35°C that my body and brain have started to protest. A fan becomes your friend. Which reminds me I ought to buy one.
Thats true most of the time.
At 100% humidity though, the fan does nothing, sweating doesn't work.
Your life expectancy is hours (assuming you're not exerting yourself at all)
It's not a binary thing either, the more humid, the more dangerous that temperature is. It's what makes this heatwave more dangerous.
One thing this weather means I need to do is invest in some new water bottles for my road bike (Sorry!).
Anyone have any recommendations on those that are best for keeping water cold?
Freeze half full bottles and then fill up with water.
I have a hydrapeak water bottle, it's not compatible with a bottle cage, i use it at work. It is very good, just started drinking from it and the water is still cold despite having been in my van since 7.30 this morning.
It's what makes this heatwave more dangerous.
I hear what you're saying about high humidity making things dangerously worse but in France this heatwave has quite low humidity. 25% right now in Pau and 29% in Paris. Pau is often very humid but rarely in heat waves, relative humidity rising when the temperature finally drops accompanied by stormy weather.
Starting to feel like we've won the climate lottery living in the Highlands.
As a fellow Scottish resident stuck in Hampshire and London this week, I concur...
At 100% humidity though, the fan does nothing, sweating doesn't work.
Your life expectancy is hours (assuming you're not exerting yourself at all)It's not a binary thing either, the more humid, the more dangerous that temperature is. It's what makes this heatwave more dangerous.
I spent a week in Myanmar for work a few years back. September - while the temperatures were 'only' 35-38*c while I was there, the humidity was between 70 and 90%...and walking into 25*c air conditioned buildings makes you shiver as it feels cold and you are soaked in about 5 minutes...
Tar starts melting, rails warp, houses (many of which were never designed with air con in mind because who needs air con in the UK, you need central heating!) become unbearably hot
My house was built in the late 30’s, and is pretty solidly built. It has one advantage, it faces north/south, and my bedroom and living room run the full width of the house with windows at each end. When I have the windows open, I get quite a strong breeze coming through, so sleeping is actually pretty comfortable.
I do need earplugs, though, because of the racket the birds make at 5am! 😖
We had 220 school kids from Scotland at Alton Towers today. The heat was brutal. Their resilience was compromised by the 1.30am start. Little sleep, poor nutrition and an overwhelming apparent allergy to drinking water exacerbated it.
Should be back to base for 11.30pm, home for 12.30am, then back at work for 8.30am. 3 days to go...
@mattoutandabout the forecast had mhas shifted a bit. Thursday temps down from 39C to 32C, Friday temps up from 32C to 36C, for here in south London.
@submarined 'here in south London' is crystal palace. The park will be scorching. Still 31C Saturday. I may be there briefly in the afternoon myself (park, not the festival).... I enjoy playing pokemon go with my 10yo and the park has a very active group of players ...if the gyms have all been moved ro the shady bits as planned it might be manageable, the music festival bit would be hot!
