23/06/2026
Every year when the UK hits 30-35°C, people from hotter countries love telling us, "That's nothing, it's hotter where I live."
So.........., let's talk heatwave!
Every year when the UK hits 30-35°C, people from hotter countries love telling us UK citizens "That's nothing, it's hotter where I live."
The thing is, temperature is only part of the story.
The UK is an island surrounded by relatively cool water. When hot air moves over that water, it picks up moisture, creating high humidity. That humidity makes it much harder for sweat to evaporate from your skin, which is your body's natural cooling system.
In many hotter countries, especially those with dry climates, 35°C can feel surprisingly manageable because sweat evaporates quickly and cools you down. Here, the air often feels thick and sticky, and your body struggles to get rid of heat.
There's also the fact that our homes, workplaces and public buildings are designed to keep heat in for most of the year, not get rid of it. Air conditioning is uncommon, bedrooms trap heat overnight, and after several hot days everything from bricks to roads starts radiating heat back at you.
So yes, 35°C is 35°C everywhere. But a humid 35°C in a country built for cold, damp weather can feel far more uncomfortable than people expect.
If you're struggling this week in the UK, you're not weak and you're definitely not imagining it. It's genuinely hard to cool down when the air itself feels like a warm, wet blanket.
So I kindly ask, check on your neighbours, especially elderly ones, make sure they are hydrating, taking cool showers, eating ice pops and have cooling towels.
Love to you all, look out for each other, this heat is no joke.