An excessive heat warming has been issued for most of England & Wales. Temperatures will be in the 30’s (C). Anyone about to visit might wish to consider bringing beach gear so they can head to the coast & cool off in the sea.
https://www.weather-forecast.com/locations/London/forecasts/latest
PS. When (if ever) is the USA going to use the Celsius system like the rest of the world?
Is there also an excessive heat warning of the continent of Europe?
Excessive heat will definitely be in Portugal, Spain, France. Anybody interested, can track the prediction for the heat by clicking the following link - and then 2 click the Play arrow to show how things are expected to progress. This will show you which areas will be affected and when.
https://www.windy.com/-Temperature-temp?temp,49.067,-2.043,5
PS. I have found the actual temperature to be hotter than that indicated on the map by around 4 degrees.
Regarding Spain, both Sevilla and Madrid are forecast to have daily highs between 100-113F (38-45C) through the end of the month.
Thanks for the data. We are heading to the UK today for a month! Fortunately our first 18 days will be on the SW coast so we will pack accordingly. For our location the temperatures will be about 10° cooler than London temperatures where we will be the first week+ of August.
PS. When (if ever) is the USA going to use the Celsius system like the rest of the world?
As soon as we start posting speed limits in kph, sell gasoline by the liter, and weigh ourselves in kg.
The last effort I recall was a dismal failure. Maybe when Hell hits 0°?
and weigh ourselves in kg.
or Stones and Pounds
14 pounds in a Stone
They made an attempt in the 70s when my kids were in elementary school. Sadly, nothing can e of it.
Driving south of Tucson towards the Mexican border , you’ll see highway signage using meters instead of miles.
Across the various computer models runs at present there is roughly a 35% chance of beating the current UK maximum temperature (38.7C/101.7F) somewhere on either 18 or 19 of July. There is a 10% chance of beating 40C/104F.
There is a similar 35% chance of beating the highest nighttime minimum temperature of 23.9C/75F.
If the UK uses the metric system, why are road distance signs still in miles?
If the UK uses the metric system, why are road distance signs still in miles?
Because we can't make our mind up.
We measure beer and milk in pints, we weigh ourselves in pounds and stone, we measure our height in feet and inches and cannabis is still sold in imperial.
I am in Austin Texas where it will be 110 plus F. It has been over 100 degrees plus F since May. It will probably not go down to 88 F until mid October.
I would get on the next plane but the airports are such a mess.
However I have a trip planned for August 2023 and will be in London. I hope all problems are worked out by then.
"PS. When (if ever) is the USA going to use the Celsius system like the rest of the world?"
As has been said, there are two types of countries in the world... Those that use the metric system and those that have had people walk on the moon... ;}
Frank 11
Although distances are normally shown in miles there are marker posts on Motorways and some Trunk Roads in kilometres and buses and trucks have speed limiters fitted to metric values. 100 KPH for buses approx 62.25 MPH. The speed limit for buses is 50MPH on single carriageways, 60 for dual carriageways and 70 for Motorways!
An excessive heat warning is a notice issued by the National Weather Service of the United States within 12 hours of the heat index reaching one of two criteria levels. In most areas, a warning will be issued if there is a heat index of at least 105 °F (41 °C) for more than three hours per day for two consecutive days, or if the heat index is greater than 115 °F (46 °C) for any period of time.
Note that local offices, particularly those where excessive heat is less frequent or in areas with deserts or mountainous terrain, often have their own criteria. High values of the heat index are caused by temperatures being significantly above normal and high humidity, and such high levels can pose a threat to human life through conditions such as heat stroke, heat exhaustion, and other heat-related illnesses.[1]
Appears UK has a lower threshold for 'excessive'.
Right now folks in Phoenix would consider highs in the 90's a welcome relief.
good one, gbreenan. But I for one would love to see us change-I never can remember how many pints there are in a quart, etc.
The US pint is smaller than the Imperial Pint
16 fluid ounces as apposed to 20
You used to have to be careful when buying spirits in Duty Free shops as sometimes used US measures
What looked like a Litre was an American quart
Appears UK has a lower threshold for 'excessive'.
Right now folks in Phoenix would consider highs in the 90's a welcome relief.
Ah but I bet most places in Phoenix have A/C.
In the UK almost all houses aren't equipped with A/C so when temperatures are high and particularly in urban environments it becomes very difficult to keep a house cool. I'm fortunate to live on a hill overlooking the coast so I benefit from pleasant sea breezes that aren't blocked by other buildings, I can leave windows open throughout the house and the breeze will pass through however when I lived in the heart of the city it was stifling during hot weather.
According to the Met Office "a heatwave is an extended period of hot weather relative to the expected conditions of the area at that time of the year"
Therefore the temperature threshold would be lower for cooler parts of the UK such as the north of Scotland compared to the south east of England
Slightly cooler air has now come from the Atlantic resulting in temperatures in the mid 20’s(C) today (Wednesday 13 July) over much of the south. However, note that Sunday & Monday are likely to see hot air moving up from the south resulting in temperatures in the 30’s over much of England & Wales.
It has not rained for ages so rivers are running low. UK Met office:>
https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/about-us/press-office/news/weather-and-climate/2022/extreme-heat-warning-issued
One thing you can be certain of in the U.K. regarding the weather is that when you arrive here you’ll find all Brits are moaning about it whatever is happening!
I actually woke up to rainfall on Tuesday morning which made me think “Ah, The Great Yorkshire Show starts today…..” Fortunately the weather has finally decided to cooperate today!
I've removed a side discussion about news channels. Let's not.
The Heat Warning has been extended through at least Tuesday
"If the UK uses the metric system, why are road distance signs still in miles? "
Because at the time of the conversion to the metric system (in the late '60s) it was considered too expensive to convert the signage. The cost was reported as being in excess in the investment in Concorde. But, pretty much everything else is in the more logical SI units, including teaching for the last 50 plus years.
As has been said, there are two types of countries in the world...
Those that use the metric system and those that have had people walk
on the moon... ;}
There are two types of countries in the world, those that use SI units and those that have spent a fortune on fireworks for martians… :-)
They're forecasting it to be 40c (104f) in London on Monday
... and Tuesday. Chance is now ranked at a bit over 50%, and the top temperature may not be in London but along a northern corridor from it, eg Cambridge, Lincoln etc. Even a near miss though will be little different in how things feel in practice.
Humidity predictions are around 20%.
"As has been said, there are two types of countries in the world... Those that use the metric system and those that have had people walk on the moon... ;}"
NASA worked/works in excusively SI/metric.
Also if it was not for the British engineers the Saturn V would not had the the 1st stage F-1 motors.
Well, the heatwave is now on full blast. Yesterday. Wales recorded its highest ever temperature at 37C. Today, the east of England could well hit 40C - which is an incredible temperature for the UK. Trains are running slower and the East Coast Mainline is likely to be completely shut between London & York/Leeds. People are advised not to travel.
Thundery showers are likely to head into Cornwall and then progress to Devon & Wales. Tomorrow (Wednesday 10 July 2022) will see cooler Atlantic air move in but even then temperatures in Wales & England will still be in the mid to high 20’sC.
Some people rolled their eyes at us when we said we were going to start the first few weeks of our UK trip in Poole. We have been watching the excessive heat warnings across the UK and hope people are finding ways to minimize the discomfort. We will take our second outing on the water in as many days today. We’ve been enjoying exploring the coastal beauty and history of Poole and environs.
I wonder how many searches are occurring in the affected areas for some variation of the term 'ductless heat-pump' to obtain efficient air conditioning, and heating come winter.
Mona - wonder why they were rolling their eyes? Have they ever been to this area (Dorset) of England? Hope you can make it to Lulworth Cove and the walk west to Durdle Dor is good - though steep going.https://lulworth.com/visit/places-to-visit/lulworth-cove/
Hope you are seeing Compton Acres Gardens:>https://www.comptonacres.co.uk
James We plan to go to the gardens next week. We are finding plenty to do but I think the naysayers, eye rollers were because of a combination of the amount of time we’re spending here, it’s not on a lot of US tourists radar—haven’t run into any Americans in the first week we’ve been here and/or our train options are a bit short here. We don’t have a car this time but we bought a weekly bus pass, Two Together rail card and we are taking advantage of great ferries at Poole Quay. We follow these weeks up with a long stay in London. So far so good. Heading to Swanage today on the ferry.
Mona - pleased that you are enjoying Dorset. No Americans but plenty of Brits about as it is a favourite holiday location. I note from reading this forum that the Americans only appear to know about certain places - which is a pity.
I have never seen a country so thoroughly defeated by warm weather. It’s not even that hot by American standards. I tried to get from York to Edinburgh on the train. I was aware there were no trains running south of York, but I figured I’d be ok. My first train was going to be delayed so they told me to get on another one. Cool. On train #2 we were told to get off at Darlington due to a problem with the tracks. Presumably they were melting. We were put busses to Newcastle. Ok, I can deal with that. In Newcastle, we got on train #3 and were promised we’d be in Edinburgh soon. About 1/2 mile out the station the power went out. It was 99 degrees in Newcastle and that was enough to kill the overhead lines. The train got hot, people panicked and paramedics had to be called. After about an hour, first responders evacuated us onto train #4, a diesel, which was even hotter. Finally back in Newcastle, they tried to put us on train #5 but it was delayed. All busses were fully booked. I write this from the back of an Uber, finally on my way to Edinburgh. If you think we have infrastructure problems in the States, you ain’t seen nothing yet.
Brad, in the US areas that have those high temps almost everyone has air conditioning. In addition, we have very few railroad options that cause us to deal with heat. Everyone drives around in their air conditioned cars.
I live in an area with a moderate climate and these sort of temps certainly impact the area where I live. Last summer we had a heat wave and cooling centers had to be opened so that there would be a safe place for people to go. The Public Libraries really made a difference for many.
It is all fine and good to say "Well that wouldn't be warm for me..." if the community is prepared for that sort of weather, but as you have experienced it is a different issue when the weather is not the norm for the area.
PS So far my area has not had any heat waves this summer which I personally take credit for having now installed central air conditioning in my home after the last one........
I have never seen a country so thoroughly defeated by warm weather. It’s not even that hot by American standards.
Would that be Alaskan standards or Texan standards? I'm pretty certain that Texas does not have fleets of snowploughs on standby, just in case, or that the majority of homes in Alaska are fitted with A/C units. The UK has a temperate climate and therefore the infrastructure reflects that as it does in every country around the world, why build for conditions that are rarely experienced?
Today the UK experienced the highest temperature ever recorded in the country, is it any surprise that some parts of the infrastructure failed?
To paraphrase a famous traveler,
everyone always complains about the climate but nobody ever does anything about it.
Why don't we consider converting some of this hand-wringing and anxiety into a change in how we power our vehicles and homes, and lay out our built environment?
With the distance, here in the USA we can see so clearly that the rigmarole and circus antics over Boris' departure are mostly a distraction from the horrors of how the regulatory bodies on the Continent have caved in to fossil fuel interests,
and I'm guessing that similarly those of us there on the Continent can see that the culture war distractions here in USA are a messy way to keep us from putting attention on the failure of substantive and rapid infrastructure change -- if you don't like the heat, build back better.
If this counts as editorializing I assume it will be removed pretty quickly, too.
Let me try to anchor it down with a travel heat story -- a loft I rented in Nice had a huge cooling skylight over the bed that opened to the stars -- gorgeous! But the rub was that it was also open to the tiny local mosquitos. Ouch.
It's 104.4F today in London and @ Heathrow, the hottest it's ever been,
beating all records, says The Weather Channel.
UK Halts Flights After Runways Melt:
This is to blame for some cancelled flights:
https://www.newsweek.com/united-kingdom-air-force-halts-flights-run-1725673
https://www.cnbc.com/2022/07/18/london-flights-suspended-after-runway-damaged-during-heat-wave.html
UK Runway Melts:
https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/climate-change-heat-uk-flights/2022/07/18/id/1079311/
"I have never seen a country so thoroughly defeated by warm weather. It’s not even that hot by American standards."
Brad, what are you talking about??? 104.4 degrees F is roastingly hot, whether one is in the USA or in the UK.
Have some compassion for the British people who are elderly or ill and cannot survive in this type of heat. The Weather Channel just reported that fewer than 5% of UK homes have air conditioning. They reported that in the USA, at least 90% of homes have (some form of) A/C.
When it's so hot that it melts or warps sections of the runways at airports, or warps rails so trains can't run, that's just too hot, Brad.
I cannot imagine that you would enjoy living for the rest of this summer in your home in Charlotte without any A/C, especially if it gets up to 104 F.
Someone needs to show some respect. BBC America (News) reports that 1000 people across the UK & Europe have died from the heat.
Complaining about the trains ruining a day of his vacation
when people are dying because of the heat......not very compassionate.
Also implying that those on the train who had to be treated by paramedics were overreacting to the heat......not very compassionate. (He has edited his comments.)
They reported that in the USA, at least 90% of homes have A/C.
I suspect that depends where in the US one refers to, and whether that means whole house central a/c, or just some sort of single room a/c.
Having airport runways 'melt' is stunning. There is a lot of the US that regularly has summer hi's of 100F+ ( 38C+) that have stable runways.
Joe, it makes a difference whether the runway is made of concrete or blacktop.
The buckled part of the runway shown on TV news looked as though it is blacktop (asphalt).
Joe, in the past couple of years I remember Phoenix had an extended hot spell, over 110 and to 115, so hot it did buckle the airport runway. We all (well, policy makers) need to be thinking about upgrades to support such higher temps.
I have never been in or seen a U.K. property with air conditioning, so I would imagine the number of properties is less than 1%, not 5%. 99.9% of the time it’s not needed and isn’t good for the environment. We kept the windows closed - no point opening them when it’s 10 degrees cooler inside.
Yesterday, it reached 35.5 degrees in the shade of my patio, only 0.1 degree higher than our previous high. Yesterday’s heat spread much further north than usual, hence the temperature record was broken in 3 out of 4 of the home nations.
When I visited Death Valley in California, it was 44 degrees, but people there are used to the heat and the infrastructure is developed accordingly.
The unfortunate consequence of the above normal heat and the lack of rainfall throughout Europe has been the number of fires destroying homes, businesses and the environment. People have died due to the excess heat.
Having airport runways 'melt' is stunning. There is a lot of the US that regularly has summer hi's of 100F+ ( 38C+) that have stable runways.
The majority of the runways in the UK are made using asphalt designed to deal with the climate of the country. No use having concrete runways if they're going to be compromised by freezing water getting into cracks. As a result of that they're not intended to deal with 40+ heat. It's a basic understanding of building your infrastructure to suit your climate.
Aaaannnnddd…..it’s over. In Yorkshire at least. Still hot by British standards but according to the weather forecasts we’ll be back to complaining “It’s supposed to be summer!” In the next few days.
That doesn’t lessen the chaos, excess deaths and appalling fires and loss of property especially in London. But we are not geared towards exceptional weather conditions as anybody who has witnessed the mayhem at the other end of the scale when we have to deal with an inch of snow will be able to testify.
Working overtime to stay civil...but for 'international' travelers
many are missing the point that countries are different.
Infrastructures are different based upon History and Needs with
specifications and tolerances based upon the proven history of needs
.... road design, airport design, railway lines, underground lines and
cars, underground stations, water supply lines, electrical supply
lines, building and house designs....
This is the important point. And for any North americans feeling to make fun about the UK for not handling a bit of heat, remember what happened last year when Texas experienced what we in my part of the world call a normal winter day.
The London Fire Brigade head said last night that every pump and engine was in action yesterday - not seen since the Blitz of the Second World War.
Most fires normally need fewer than 4 appliances. There were significant fires yesterday in London needing 15 and 30 appliances each. God Bless the fire fighters!
and in full breathing gear and kit, in 104F heat...
There is no way to translate "I love temperatures in the 70s" into Celsius.
How about, "I love temperatures in the 20's"? Anyone familiar with Celsius will have an idea of what that temperature range feels like.
I have never been in or seen a U.K. property with air conditioning, so I would imagine the number of properties is less than 1%, not 5%.
I have seen it stated as under 0.5%. In houses in my immediate areasI know of 3 with air conditioning from the visible equipment on the wall. Two of those are for one room only, the third also covers a bedroom.
I agree with Rebecca.
More respect would be appropriate.
Thank you Susan!
Nick wrote:
"As for Brad's whinge, he obviously had a difficult day, so it is understandable he wanted to rant. Although, I'm a bit unsure about his complaint that UK rail infrastructure is awful compared to the US. Isn't it the case that at least Britain has railways, sometimes defeated by weather being too hot or cold; whereas the US passenger rail infrastructure is mostly rubbish (or non-existent), whatever the weather."
(I do notice that his slam of the British rail service has been removed from his original post.)
Yes, right you are Nick;
US rail service = rubbish + non-existent in most places.
It serves only major cities and the customer experience leaves much to be desired.
British rail = a pleasure to travel in Britain by rail, under normal conditions.
There's nothing normal about the crisis that Britain has just been through.
Or the day that Brad experienced.
Very sad to hear of the fires that Nigel is reporting.
South of Washington DC the railbed isn't optimized for passenger trains. If it gets moderately hot (don't remember the temperature, maybe 85F/29.5C), the Amtrak trains mosey along at 35 mph.
In Britain, passenger trains take priority and if fast & slower tracks are not available, freight trains have to pull into loops to let passenger trains pass - or travel at night. The freight trains normally travel at 60 to 75mph in Britain. The East Coast Mainline was closed between London & York/Leeds due to the heat. Trains over most of this route travel at 125 mph. The newer High Speed 1 line between London and the Channel Tunnel (186 mph) continued working normally during the heatwave. The new High Speed 2 line between London . Birmingham & Manchester (200 mph) is being built now to 21st century standards so should also be less prone to disruption due to heat.
Perhaps Americans should look at their local tracks. Do they still have wooden sleepers and jointed rail? If so, this is something that has long since vanished from most European countries. If the USA was up with western Europe countries such as France, they would have 185 mph electric trains running on new lines between major cities that are within 3 or 4 hours travelling time. That would cut down on global warming caused by people flying relatively short distances as well as diesel emissions from trains. More people would also travel by train rather than car thus reducing traffic jams and pollution.
If you think this is analogous, you are missing the boat and don't understand the convenience and utility of the Fahrenheit scale.
Perhaps you could enlighten me.
I don't know about the northeast corridor, but in the rest of the US, freight trains have priority over the lowly Amtrak trains. So passenger trains often get delayed or shunted off to allow freight trains to go through. And many of those are mile-long trains, carrying coal to midwestern power plants. Oh, the irony.
I recall a couple airports (maybe Dallas and Phoenix?) being shut down for heat issues last year. And the Texas blackouts due to the cold the prior year, don't speak well to our infrastructure. Every summer, local news reports on the number of heat-related deaths, another body count that people accept as normal.
I've got nothing but sympathy for the people in the UK who are dealing with this.
James, Amen to what you said about American vs European train systems.
You are absolutely right.
In the past year I've done the SF–Chicago and Chicago–SF Amtrak run and was startled (living in my California bubble) by the sheer number of mile-plus-long coal trains that passed us. The irony, as you say.
When I gave birth in Switzerland, during a July heat wave, my husband brought a table-top fan to my (south-facing) room. Guess where all the nurses congregated? which was fine by me :-)
Our pre-war Swiss apartment had real shutters, which we used as the Italians do – glass windows open (a bit) during hot days, but shutters closed almost all the way, giving a bit of light but keeping the interior cool and dark.
It seems that the USA is not making enough effort to get off fossil fuels - which are the cause of global warming. Having diesel locomotives hauling massive trains of coal across the country to fire power stations is bonkers. It’s the same with a lot of American cars which tend to be bigger and more fuel hungry (polluting) than those in Europe. (Fuel is much cheaper in the US than Europe so why buy a frugal car)? A short NASA video on Global Warming:> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWoCXLuTIkI
Having passenger trains pull over to allow the passage of freight trains seems odd to say the least to the rest of the world. Are the passenger trains slower than the freight trains in the USA? In Britain, the tracks are owned by the government who have an organisation called Network Rail (soon to be ‘Great British Railways’ ). They control the signalling and agreement is reached about available ‘slots’ on the network for the different train companies. These slots prioritise fast longer distance express services with slower stopping trains being next down in the pecking order. Finally freight trains are organised into ‘slots’ that do not impede the passenger services. I think in the USA that the freight companies might own the tracks and that might be the core part of the problem.
Perhaps they only have investment in tracks & signalling that are decent enough for their relatively slow freight trains? Surely it would be best if the USA & Canada built new high speed lines (electric) through open country and just used the old routes when entering urban areas - as they have done in France and other European countries?
The UK government decide which routes will get upgraded for say electrification. When you land at Heathrow and travel into Paddington, you will see those streamlined GWR (Great Western Railway) trains. These are bi-modes meaning that they can travel on overhead electric power where available and switch to underfloor diesel power on non wired tracks. This is because the GWR routes fan out to the west with some going to Bath/ Bristol, South Wales, Oxford/Hereford, Gloucester, Devon & Cornwall. Clearly to wire all that lot costs a lot of money - especially when old road bridges have to be demolished and new higher ones inserted well above the wires. So, hopefully the money will become available to get all of the main lines wired in the UK. Building new lines in the UK is very expensive due to high land values and population density. For those interested, here is a video of a journey from London to Bath on the GWR Inter City Express Train:> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpp6vAs2W4I
Anyway, the UK heatwave is over though it will still be in the high 20’s in the south eastern parts of England this weekend (23/24 July 2022). Some welcome rain is expected in many areas so hopefully the grass will go green again and fire risk will be reduced. The following link might be of interest as it shows global temperatures. You can also change it to other things such as sea temperatures / air pollution etc. https://www.windy.com/-Temperature-temp?temp,17.979,5.889,3
"I have never been in or seen a U.K. property with air conditioning, so I would imagine the number of properties is less than 1%, not 5%. 99.9% of the time it’s not needed and isn’t good for the environment. We kept the windows closed - no point opening them when it’s 10 degrees cooler inside."
As a building services I would say that is a broadly correct assessment. The current Building Regulations have been written in such a way to design out air-condition. The only exception would be air/ground source heat pumps which could be reversed in the summer months if required to provide cooling. However, these are prohibitively expensive and have not gained much traction in the construction industry.
"How about, "I love temperatures in the 20's"? Anyone familiar with Celsius will have an idea of what that temperature range feels like."
Yes, pleasantly warm.
Water freezes @ 0c and boils at 100c, its really quite easy to work out on that basis.
As an side most heating systems in the UK are designed to maintain 21/22c @ -3c outside.
The British rail network has it problems, but it is a quantum leap better than what exists in the US, it is also a network which gives it an distinct advantage over what exists in the US. This network would have been a lot better now if it was for the very shortsighted Dr. Beeching and Mr. Marples.
Friday. Grey, cool, rain delays start of England v South Africa Cricket match. For now it would seem normal service has been resumed.
Weather QQ: For anyone in London right now, we arrive Monday. Should we now add a jacket and/or rain jacket to our single carry-ons? Last night, was it cool or just pleasant?
Weather QQ: For anyone in London right now, we arrive Monday. Should we now add a jacket and/or rain jacket to our single carry-ons? Last night, was it cool or just pleasant?
Any advice is always going to be subjective. Where are you coming from? What do you consider cool or pleasant?
The forecast for London for the next seven days is mid teens in the morning reaching mid to high twenties in the afternoon. A mix of light clouds and sunshine but no rain forecast (however that can change at the drop of a hat)
it was about 17 where I am last night and about 23 today. Heavy overcast with sun peeping through from time to time. It rained about 2mm before I was out of bed.
For anyone about to travel who wishes to know what weather to expect going forward, I suggest you use the following link:>https://www.weather-forecast.com/locations/London/forecasts/latest
it was about 62 where I am last night and about 73 today. Heavy overcast with sun peeping through from time to time. It rained about 0.08 in. before I was out of bed.
And after you got out of bed how much did it rain ? Was the guy asking 'how big is a cubit" named Noah ?
:-)
A cubit? Away with your modern nonsense! We’re still wrestling with Professor Thom’s megalithic yard!
