WHILE the scorching sun and 30C may seem glorious after a gray start to summer, heatwaves in the UK can be quite uncomfortable.
It may feel like you’ve barely walked out the door and you’re dripping with sweat and huffing and puffing from the heat.
If you’ve spent your summer vacation in places like Greece, Spain, or Italy, you might be wondering why surviving the heat at home can seem so difficult.
But you’re not imagining it.
Sometimes heatwaves in the UK can actually feel hotter than temperatures abroad, according to Jim NR Dale, founder and senior meteorologist at British meteorological services.
“For the most part, it is clear that it is no hotter in the UK than in the tropical or subtropical regions,” Jim told The Sun.
But certain factors can make it seem that way, he explained.
From high humidity levels leaving us feeling extra sticky, to how UK buildings aren’t designed to withstand hot climates – Jim explained why UK heatwaves are different.
1. Humidity
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As Jim explained, it generally doesn’t get hotter in the UK than places you might fly to for your summer holidays.
“However, when humidity – the water content in the air – increases, it can feel hotter than some desert or semi-desert regions, such as parts of Morocco, Tunisia and southern Spain,” said the meteorologist – and author of the book. Time or not?’ It is Surviving extreme weather conditions – he said.
“This is mainly because the increased level of humidity in the air, say around rainfall or an approaching weather front, means that sweat does not evaporate easily from the surface of the skin, so it is uncomfortable as the body struggles to cool down.
“This is also why higher humidities, even at comparatively lower temperatures, can be dangerous.”
2. Buildings are not designed to heat
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To make matters worse, buildings in the UK may not offer much respite in hot weather.
According to Jim, the construction of houses and apartments and even the color of materials and paint can be fundamental to staying calm.
“A white or lighter-colored surface will reflect the sun’s rays into the atmosphere and remain relatively cool to the touch, while dark surfaces absorb the sun’s rays more easily, thus increasing temperatures sharply both inside and outside the home.
“In the UK we build mainly with dark materials and paint dark as opposed to light, so when the sun shines brightly on a hot day, many of our homes will be much warmer than comparable homes painted white in and around from the Mediterranean, for example.”
3. Temperatures are rising
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If summers—and the weather in general—feel hotter than you remember as a child, it’s because temperatures are rising.
“It’s true – and not just during the summers, but all year round – that air and sea temperatures in the UK have been rising, as have global temperatures,” Jim explained, due to climate change and the use of fuels fossils.
“This doesn’t mean the UK will have scorching summers every summer,” he added.
“Much will depend on where the highs and lows are, along with the jet stream that often steers Atlantic frontal systems toward us, as we saw throughout much of the winter and spring, providing us with record rainfall.
“So there is an element of luck as to how hot it gets and how long it can last in our temperate zone.
“But it’s also fair to say that the vast majority of countries in the world have recorded monthly and/or historic temperature records, even in recent months, with the hottest part of the northern hemisphere summer still to come!
“The Earth is warming to unprecedented levels, both on land and in the oceans”, he highlighted.
According to the Met Office, the frequency and intensity of heatwaves has increased across the world, with a number of major heatwaves occurring in the UK over the last 5 years.
Each of these saw new temperature records set.
The Met recently issued yellow health alerts for most of England – warning of a likely “increase in population mortality” by Thursday.
Heat warnings will be in place for all regions of England except the North East, which is covered by a green warning.
Heat-related health warnings are issued in conjunction with the UK Health Security Agency to address the health impacts of heat.
Tips for staying cool in hot weather
JIM shared a series of tips on how to stay cool in hot weather, from how to get through hotter days and nights to a Royal Navy hack.
- Stay away from direct sunlight – it’s cooler in the shade
- Stay hydrated and keep hydrating – water or, better yet, several hydration drinks are best. As you sweat, you lose several vital salts from your body, so the type of drink that athletes can drink tends to be the most beneficial.
- Keep your skin fresh – shower with cold or cold water and use refreshing sprays
- Stay away from alcohol and high-caffeine drinks – both act to make you sweat and urinate more, and your body will not be able to regulate its temperature as easily.
- Eat lighter meals – digesting large volumes or foods that take many hours to pass through you, such as red meat or fatty foods, will make your body work harder, generating more heat.
- Wear loose-fitting, light-colored clothing, made from breathable materials such as linen, silk and cotton. Artificial materials, such as polyester and nylon, trap heat, acting more like a blanket.
- Wear a sun hat While outdoors, wear sunglasses and try to expose as little surface skin to the sun as possible. Vigorous exercise in the heat of the day is not recommended; exercise or simply do your chores sooner rather than later when it’s cooler.
- Close the curtains while you’re inside or close the blinds to keep the sun’s rays out of your home. In the evening, at night or first thing in the morning, open certain doors and/or windows to allow air to flow through your home, acting as a natural refrigerant. Of course, if you have a fan or air conditioning, both will provide relief from the heat.
- Find rest in woodlands, forests and the coast -they are better places to go in the heat, rather than the heat-absorbing, traffic-polluted concrete jungles of cities. On a hot day it can be up to 5 degrees C. cooler among the shade of trees or the refreshing sea breeze.
- Put your nightwear in the freezer before bed and take a cool shower, anything to reduce the skin’s surface temperature. You may also choose to sleep in the lower part of your home as the heat rises. The other option (if you can) is to sleep outside under the stars, but be sure to check the weather forecast in advance for any possible rain or downpours!
- A trick I learned during my time in the Royal Navy in the tropics. If you’re hot and bothered, take a bowl of cold water and mix in some ice cubes. Then dip your fingers or toes into the bowl and leave them there for three to four minutes. Your body temperature will gradually drop by up to 1 degree C. as internal heat dissipates into the water
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
