The UK has experienced some of its hottest temperatures of the year so far this week, with some areas seeing highs of 30C. After what was a bit of a chilly, rainy start to the year this was welcome news to lots of Brits.
However, for others the heat has proved too much, sparking some of the same discourse that is heard every summer – what is it about the UK that makes hot temperatures so unbearable?
While many other countries, including those Brits love to travel to, often experience temperatures in the 30s and 40s some people claim they don’t feel as overwhelmingly hot as the UK in the midst of a heatwave.
A doctor took to social media platform TikTok to explain why this is.
In response to another creator’s video complaining about the heat, NHS surgeon Dr Karan Raj, asked: “Why does the heat in the UK feel even hotter than when you’re abroad?
“Excluding the fact the British love to complain about everything, weather included, there are a few rational explanations for this temperature perception glitch.”
According to Dr Raj a key factor for this discrepancy is how humid the UK is.
This can make it feel hotter and stickier than if it were a dry heat.
“The first is relative humidity,” he said. “This is the amount of moisture in the air compared to the maximum amount of moisture the air can hold at that temperature.
“In the UK the relative humidity is higher than in countries with dry heat.
“This makes it harder for our bodies to cool down because sweat doesn’t evaporate as well so you feel hot and sticky like a roast barbecue pig.
“This is why 35 degrees in a dry climate can feel more comfortable than 25 degrees in a place with high relative humidity.”
Dr Raj went on to discuss how our homes are built to keep in the heat.
“Another factor is infrastructure,” he said. “In the UK the buildings are designed to retain heat because the weather is usually cold, soggy and silly.
“The same insulation that helps save energy in the winter makes buildings a greenhouse in the summer, especially without air conditioning, which most UK homes don’t have.
“In contrast, buildings in warmer climates are designed to stay cool.
“Thick walls, large windows, sometimes even with window shutters and coloured coatings on the buildings to deflect heat.”
However, he ended with a tongue-in-cheek comment: “Plus the British are just notoriously bad at dealing with the heat, and the cold, and the rain.”
One viewer agreed with his observations. They commented: “I’m from Spain and I’ve dealt better with 45C in summer than the 27C that we’ve had today in London.”
Another said: “My office in London was showing 36C on the thermometer today… that’s with the fans and ice etc… I have melted.”
A follower added: “I lived in a different country for 25 years with 30 to 36C minimum in the summer. It was fine.
“In the UK it’s 25C and I’m dying..the sun burns like hell as well compared to my home.”
To avoid heatstroke and dehydration, the NHS advises you:
- Drink more cold drinks, especially if you’re active or exercising
- Wear light-coloured, loose clothing
- Avoid the sun between 11am and 3pm
- Avoid excess alcohol
- Avoid extreme exercise
- If you’re inside on a very hot day, close curtains, close windows if it’s hotter outside than in your home and turn off electrical equipment and lights that get hot.
