iStockphoto / Simon Shepheard
There’s an alleged ‘heat wave’ that some English outlets are saying is about to hammer the UK. We here in ‘merica might be sympathetic toward them given that the Northeast is about to get pummeled by what meteorologists are calling a ‘mega heat dome’ but when you take a look at this alleged ‘heat wave’ hitting the UK it’s actually pathetic.
A headline on the UK’s Mirror reads ‘UK weather: 48-hour 26C heatwave to hit and five English cities will be the hottest’ which sounds pretty awful until you realize that 26C is just 78.8-degrees Fahrenheit. Sure, most homes in the UK are basically like heat traps designed to lock heat in but this is 78/79 degrees we’re talking about!
The article goes on to say “According to weather maps from WX Charts, utilising Met Desk data, the temperature will likely peak around 26C in certain intervals. Cities that will be the hottest include Birmingham, Cardiff, London, Manchester, and Newcastle. This warm spell is anticipated to sweep across Britain from June 26th to the 28th.”
Other headlines include ‘maps turn red as mercury SOARS to 26C’ and ‘UK set for first proper heatwave of 2024 and it has potential to be extreme.’ Again, 26C is just 78.8F.
London, you say? This dude straight up passed out from this ‘heat wave’…
Temperatures have passed 30C in London today, overwhelming some soldiers who took part in a military parade alongside Prince Williamhttps://t.co/McrUFliY2F pic.twitter.com/KAYXloNTvV
— ITV News (@itvnews) June 10, 2023
30C is 86F which, if we’re being fair, is warm but it’s not ‘pass out from heat’ hot and I don’t care how heavy a uniform is. 86F is completely tolerable assuming the nights are cool enough and there’s adequate access to shade and/or A/C during the day.
I say that as a born-and-raised Floridian who has nothing but absolute disdain for the heat, and who is currently in upstate New York for a few weeks where I’m about to get pummeled by a ‘Mega Heat Dome’ and we don’t have A/C at our house.
A "mega heat dome" is forecast to develop over the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast into next week.
The ridge will be at near historical intensity centered upon Pennsylvania w/500 mb heights > 6000 m pic.twitter.com/7EdCqz91dj
— Ryan Maue (@RyanMaue) June 13, 2024
Until the UK can comprehend what a ‘Mega Heat Dome’ is and how temperatures will be approaching 100 in many places 37/38C, I don’t want to hear any complaining about a ‘heat wave’ where the weather is downright perfect. 78 is quite literally perfect, not a heat wave.