Americans in the UK Are Struggling with the Unusual Heatwave
Americans living in the UK have found themselves in a surprising situation, as they are being ‘humbled’ by the current heatwave. Many of them, who are used to handling temperatures of 35°C back in the US, are now struggling with the intense heat that has gripped the country. In response, they are turning to local corner shops just to cool down by burying their faces in ice.
Yanks who are either living or visiting the UK have also been forced to seek refuge in air-conditioned hotel rooms, admitting that they “simply can’t do it anymore.” One user on TikTok, @melissasmanual, shared her experience, saying: “I’m about to pass out. At least in Florida we have AC. I’m sweating everywhere. I’m literally just wearing a swimsuit at home. There’s nothing else than I can wear.”
Comparing Britain to the Sahara desert, others have admitted that the heat has left them feeling “like a shirt getting ironed.” Influencer Red Bus Russ remarked: “I am never doubting a Brit again when they tell me that the UK sun hits different. I feel like I’m in a sauna.”
Floridian user @bojackhorses**t described the temperatures as making her feel “sick,” while TikToker Shaye said she couldn’t handle the heat in her flat, which reached 31°C. She recounted: “I haven’t slept since it got hot. I started to literally go insane.” Eventually, she sought the relief of a hotel room.
Social media creator Stacey in the UK has called on more Brits to invest in air conditioning, adding: “I’m so hot. There is no air flow… I’m suffering. The fans are not cutting it.” These experiences have led to what is now being referred to as “the great American humbling” on social media, where US expats who once mocked Brits for not being able to handle temperatures that are normal in the US have realized how debilitating the lack of air con is.
Why the Heat Feels So Much Worse in the UK
Temperatures in parts of the UK have hit 34.8°C this week, setting a provisional new record for spring and May. Scientists have explained why the heat feels so much more intense in the UK, pointing to high humidity and a lack of infrastructure as key factors.
Professor Hannah Cloke, Regius Professor of Meteorology and Climate Science at the University of Reading, stated: “The UK is simply not built for sustained heat.” According to scientists, three main factors contribute to the intensity of the heat: humidity, lack of infrastructure, and climate change.
Firstly, the UK has relatively humid air, especially during heatwaves, which are fed by warm southerly flows over the Atlantic. Professor Cloke explained: “30°C in the UK can feel surprisingly oppressive because heat is not just about the number on the thermometer, it is about how efficiently your body can cool itself. Humidity slows the evaporation of sweat, which is the body’s natural air–conditioning system, so a 30°C day can feel much stickier and more exhausting than the same temperature in a dry climate like southern Spain.”
Dr Akshay Deoras, Senior Research Scientist at the National Centre for Atmospheric Science & Department of Meteorology, added that this explains why you don’t feel as hot in other countries where the thermometer reading is higher. He told the Daily Mail: “In drier climates such as parts of the Middle East or South Asia, even at similar or higher air temperatures, low humidity allows sweat to evaporate more easily, improving natural cooling.”
Unlike the UK, many other countries have measures in place to beat the heat, including air conditioning. Professor Cloke noted: “Our homes are designed like thermal flasks to keep warmth in during winter, not release it during summer. Many buildings trap heat overnight, and because air conditioning is still relatively uncommon, there is often little relief indoors.”
The Future of Heat in the UK
Dr Laurence Wainwright, a senior lecturer at the University of Oxford, added: “Less than 5% of UK homes have aircon, and only around 35% of offices. The intense heatwave of July 2022 was a sobering reminder of this fact, and during those hot days portable air con units sold like hotcakes. As climate-change continues to cause hotter and longer summers, we may have to address this.”
Worryingly, Professor Cloke says the painful heat could become the norm in Britain, thanks to climate change. “Unfortunately, this is a glimpse of the future,” she said. “Climate change is making UK heatwaves more frequent, more intense and longer lasting. We are now seeing temperatures in late spring that would once have been exceptional even in mid–summer.”
Ben Clarke, Research Associate in Extreme Weather and Climate Change at the Centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College London, added: “While hot sunny weather has always happened occasionally and always will, climate change is making it much hotter and more dangerous when it does happen.”
Dr Wainwright concluded: “Scientific modelling predicts that by 2070, summer temperatures in the UK will be on average 5°C hotter than today. While perhaps 2070 sounds far away, and 5°C doesn’t sound like much, it is starting already, and will as the years go by have a profound impact on the way that we live our lives.”
