Heat wave, summer 2018

I'm in Amsterdam all week on business. It is downright hot here...by their standards. By my summer East Coast standards of heat and humidity it is a walk in the park. Staying at the older non-AC hotels might be a bit stuffy, but the nights have cooled down quite a bit. Was about 87 F today--warmest day I've had in Europe.

Grab a table on the sidewalk at restaurants, get an adult beverage and some tap water, and you're good to go. The Netherlands are experiencing water issues near the coast though...it's pretty serious.

Per reports from family, Stockholm is just as hot (and muggy), and ill-equipped to cope with the heat. Not even any fans available, much less a/c.
Word is they are looking forward to their stop in Iceland on the homeward travel.

“How are US tourists coping?”

Same as the locals!

I've always gone to Germany in the summer, (only once in April), ie, sometime between May and the end of August, have experienced heat waves in the summer weeks, some more acute, some less, still sweated and baked in Germany.

I don't stay in AC equipped hotels, at most the hotel has a fan if you want one. The Pension in Berlin does not even have that to offer. I'm not dependent on AC, can easily do without it. If the locals can put up with it, why can't I, and I had better do that.

I was in Italy (Rome, Florence, Siena, Greater Tuscany) for 2+ weeks up through Wednesday. The last two days we were there, the highs were 98-101... You know it’s bad when you actually notice the difference compared to the 90-95 degree weather we had mostly been having. We were truthfully glad to be heading home from a heat standpoint. Luckily we had a car those last three days so we alternated going outside with the AC. (We’d go right back if we could now though! Haha)

I am on my way to italy soon. I am trying not to worry about the things I can’t control (weather being one of them). I guess I will be doing a slower pace than usual.

Hope everyone has a good August!

Heading to Venice in a few weeks. Bring it on!! We seem to travel in heat waves. Summer is way too short in Western WA.

Heading to Venice in a few weeks. Bring it on!! We seem to travel in heat waves. Summer is way too short in Western WA.

Careful for what you wish for, Seville is forecast to reach 47c (116f) this week and southern Europe is facing similar temperatures in general, not fun in anyone's book.

@Victoria... I was actually surprised at the pace we were able to maintain. We learned the balance of outdoor and indoor activities mattered, which luckily was basically how our days had been planned without realizing it. For example, we did the Colosseum/Forum into the early afternoon one day then took a break in the Capitoline Museum cafe and did the museum during the worst of the heat, went back out for Trajan’s Market later. That midday break, even if only for 45-60 minutes definitely became important to us.

Our hardest day in terms of heat was the day we went to Pompeii. We were outside nearly the entire day until the early evening and that place doesn’t offer much by way of shade. Remember to drink plenty of water and stand in the shade/walk in the shade when you can!

Bring that travel umbrella and carry your own shade (assuming you're allowed to use them in places like Pompeii).

Staying in Germany at a 3 story house. We bought 2 inexpensive oscillating fans on our arrival day, yesterday. We will spend as much time as we can during the day at the lake (Bodensee) with the thousands of others who are here seeking relief from the heat. There should be a big break in the weather by the end of this week!

How are US tourists coping?

How are US residents in Europe coping?

I'm lucky that my office is air-conditioned (it wasn't up until about 3 or 4 years ago), so that makes a big difference. I feel really bad for tourists who come here and get hit by this heat, because I basically survive by lying low -- closing all the shutters and windows to keep the heat and light out of my apartment, sitting or lying in front of a fan most of the day, often with a wet washcloth close to hand for my head or my throat, and taking cold showers every time I walk in the door. I'm always so grateful that I don't feel compelled to be out seeing/doing things during such heat.

The metros are awful, the line 6 is the worst -- according to an article in Le Parisien a couple of weeks ago where they took a thermometer and a hygrometer and measured the temperature and humidity on most of the lines -- but none of them are what you could call cool. And the other night the Line 1 broke down and more than 3000 people on 12 trains were trapped for an hour and a half with the temperature climbing, no air, no water, and no word from the RATP. After getting blocked at 8 pm, they finally got evacuated through the tunnels at 10:30 pm. What a nightmare.

Even if you don't read French, these articles have a couple of videos from the passengers.

https://www.20minutes.fr/paris/2315835-20180801-video-panne-metro-paris-faisait-tres-chaud-passagers-force-portes-chaos
https://www.bfmtv.com/mediaplayer/video/paris-bloques-durant-2h-ils-quittent-le-metro-par-les-voies-1092739.html

http://www.leparisien.fr/paris-75/canicule-c-est-la-fournaise-dans-le-le-metro-parisien-24-07-2018-7832202.php

Oh Kim that situation on the Metro sounds horrible! It was stifling enough when we were there three weeks ago. I can’t imagine the conditions now and to be trapped with no air movement!

I was born and lived half of my life in Europe. AC was never needed in Central or northern Europe as it was not needed in our Northwest. The rest of USA (with the exception of Alaska) has been always hot in summer so Americans should cope with current heat in Europe better. Only masochists go to Italy, Spain, Portugal etc. in summer. But nowadays in global warming era it's even worse. Temperature is now reaching Arizona Phoenix numbers. Season to visit southern Europe: early spring, fall. Central Europe: spring, fall. Countries good to visit in summer: Scandinavian countries, Iceland, Ireland, Scotland, maybe Baltic republics.

We spent 8 nights in Provence in early July when every day hit about 33-35C. My comfort level is about 25C. And ever since coming home, it's been hot and humid and gross - but at home, I can stay in all day with the AC...not really something you can do when travelling - well, you can, but it's not much fun. I think our saving grace was that we had a car - so we weren't hanging around in the heat waiting for buses or trains...when we got too hot/tired, we'd just go back to the car and crank up the AC and head for the next town. Conversely, I had some waterproof sandals (I love you, Teva) and anytime I'd see a fountain that looked clean (or in the case of few towns - an ice cold and clear river running thru) I'd stick my feet in and I'd be good to go for another 30 min or so.

That being said, we only went in July because I wanted to see the lavender. The odds of me travelling anywhere again in July or August are pretty much nil.

There have been numerous times when I was in France, Austria, Poland and Germany in July in that 33-35C weather. In Vienna the heat is always oppressive when it gets beyond 30C

The real shocker was in Toulon in July 1997 when you have that blazing heat, ie, in excess of 33C, the Mediterranean, the latitude and the sun all together, this combination. I had never felt heat and humidity like that, not in Alabama, Calif, or San Antonio. There was no AC, obviously, where we were staying. Two years later I went back again to Toulon, also in July, it wasn't quite as much of a shocker then as I knew what to expect with that combination.

We were in Vienna and Prague at the very beginning of June, and the temperature was in the high 80s to 90s every day. It was certainly not what we expected or planned for that early in the summer! It did put a bit of a damper on things. We probably did less sightseeing than we normally would have, and on several occasions we had to return to our B&Bs mid afternoon just to rest.

After our Vienna and Prague trip, we joined up with a RS Best of Eastern Europe trip, and over the two weeks we were on tour, we experienced either super crazy heat (Prague, Budapest, Ljubljana) or abnormally cold temperatures (rainy and in the low 60s in Krakow, unseasonably cold in Lake Bled).

It is what it is, and you make the best of it. I'd rather have heat than a month of torrential rain....but I am nostalgic for the days when temperatures were generally more predictable.

I just returned from a 3 week stay in Scotland/England. The weather in Scotland was perfect! Good sunshine hours with a mild 70 degree temperature. A speed boat on Loch Ness was one of our high lights - It was quite magical to be speeding a long with a warm breeze on the water looking at Urquart Castle. However, after a week in Scotland, I stayed with family in Cambridge England. I can tell you, the heat has been unbearable at night with no air conditioning or fans!!! (I think every fan in England has been sold). The day time heat was fine for me but at night it was just plain AWFUL to try and sleep. I must admit I was ready to come home to air conditioning.

Posted by a friend in Lisbon two days ago: 110F or 43.3C.

Public transportation workers in Vienna are handing out free deodorant.

Public transportation workers in Vienna are handing out free deodorant.

Next will come a rash of reports of facial injuries from flying elbows :-)

I'm looking forward to Wednesday. That's when the heat is supposed to disappear here in London.

I’m glad this years trip has been to E Europe and Norway where it has been quite nice though yesterday morning the temp was in the upper 40ies (under 10C) in Hellsylt so definitely needed a light jacket

I know better than to travel to Italy in August, but I was invited by a friend and could not pass up a free week in Umbria. We extended our vacation and returned this past Wednesday. I just about died with each step (20,000 +each day) I took. It was in the high 90s and up to 104 every one of the 16 days I was there. The humidity was horrible! The best was when we got rained on in Pompei!

This was my 5th trip to Italy ( never in August) and my last. Been there done that. I’m on to other places but never again in Southern Europe in summer!
Our legs were swollen and had a terrible heat rash on our legs. We noticed others in the same sad shape we were in.

I’ve traveled the world and have to say this was the worst heat with humidity I’ve experienced. Hawaii is a piece of cake!