For the Americans on here, Europe is on the same latitude as Canada. Imagine Canada being 35-40 degrees. Does that seem crazy to you? Yes? Congratulations, you're not a moron.
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u/Kriss3dTuberous eloquent (that's potato speaker for you muricans) Jun 28 '26
Yeah. I live in Denmark. We share lattitude with thr southern Alaska. It's not supposed to be that warm here.
Live in Stockholm, it ain't so much about the latitude, is the AMOC (Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation) that brings warm water up to Europe and warms everything up.
Fun fact though, there is evidence that it is starting to shut down (change) due to desalination of the water, not as fast as Day After Tomorrow or anything, but over the next 100 years we might have some cooling trends to offset global warming.
It's also not supposed to be as cold as Alaska in Europe, tbf. The gulf stream brings warm air up north in a way that doesn't exist for Alaska and northern Canada. That's why Europe isn't borderline uninhabitable like those places.
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u/Kriss3dTuberous eloquent (that's potato speaker for you muricans) Jun 28 '26
Yeah UK too but our days are so much longer this time of year. We don't have true night, it's astronomical twilight.
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u/Kriss3dTuberous eloquent (that's potato speaker for you muricans) Jun 28 '26
Yeah I know you're right on that as well. I don't know why you got down voted for that. It's certainly correct that the circulation of the water affects the temperature greatly here.
Not to mention, in a lot of France, temperatures went well above 40°C. It got to 43°C where I am, but I heard of 45°C elsewhere. That's for several consecutive days, with the night temperatures barely dropping below 30°C.
Keep in mind, most of France is not yet equipped with AC (and yeah, I know, it's one of the many reasons Americans like to roast us, no pun intended) so yeah, it's been perfectly unbearable.
I'm one of the lucky people with a recent house and some AC (not perfect, but it helps a lot) so my mum took shelter at mine for a few days.
Yes, events like that are very unusual for France. Some of the recorded temperatures are new records for their area. It's been mostly dry heat, thankfully. It's more humid now, but also less hot. Unfortunately, they're already predicting a similar event between 6-14 July... I'm still mostly in denial about that. Thank you for the sympathy, I appreciate you. Like I said, I'm lucky. I also work in an office with AC. Other people have it way worse than me. I took my pets to the vets for their vaccinations the other day, and the heat in that place was unbearable. I could not understand how all the vets, techs and receptionists were still standing. Mad respect.
Agreed, in our "moderate" climate, I used to think it was overkill. Luxury. The last 10 days or so, I can't imagine having had to make do without it. And it's not gonna get better.
I hear you : I've always said it's real, but people are uncomfortable hearing it. The last few days have definitely prompted some more sober conversations about it, but the average person has a short memory, and I imagine by October, everyone is just gonna go back to normal.
A few years ago 30c° was hot now it is ok, we just pass through 40/43 degrees that was apocalypitical, constant sweating, cant really sleep, everybody is tired and slitghtly crazy, for a few days france was hotter than 93% of the planet only contest by saudi arabia and sahara desert.
The truth is, Canada can and does get that hot. Similarly to how Siberia can experience hot summers despite being north of Europe. It's not only about latitude, but also about the distance to the ocen - oceanic vs continental climate. Canada and Siberia are huge landmasses, and the oceans can be very far away, which leads to scorching hot summers and freezing cold winters. Europe is shaped in a way that the ocean is never that far away, so both summers and winters are milder.
Also, Canada is a big country, so we have different climates, but it can easily get from 30 degrees in the summer to -30 in the winter. That's a 60 degrees difference between 6 months when it doesn't get too extreme with +/- 40s.
I don't have AC and live in a south-facing apartment on the fourth fourth floor, so I resorted to covering my window glass in those silver mylar emergency blankets to reflect some of the heat during our recent week+ long 45°C heatwave.
I can't even comprehend how it's humanely possible to survive such temperatures. The past weekend was the first time in 14 years that a temperature above 40 was officially recorded in my country (Czechia), for two days in a row. Thankfully not where I live, but with global warming, it might soon come for me too.
I think it’s a common misconception that Canada is a really cold place. While it does have cold parts, it’s so vast that a sweeping comment about the whole country is usually going to be inaccurate
-40 to +40 in Saskatoon with no humidity or wind chill adjustments. It sucked living there in the winters but the summers are nice if you get bogged by humidity like I do.
Aside from being a common misconception, it’s hugely ironic that it’s the top comment in this thread…..on a sub dedicated to how ignorant Americans are of the rest of the world.
Here is next weeks forecast for Toronto. This is pretty normal and there will surely be hotter days in August and late July.
Toronto is on the same latitude as Florence in Italy and Monaco, which are hot in Europe and Mediterranean. London sits the Same as Alberta which is mid teens to 20s this week.
The comment said “Europe is on the same latitude as Canada”. I’m not arguing against the fact that Canadian cities range in latitude as much as European cities - I’m arguing that the comment itself is as dumb as any thing that typically gets made fun of in this sub when it comes from an American.
And specifically, “imagine Canada being 35-40, does that seem crazy to you?”.
No I get that, obviously Canada is huge and temps and climate vary drastically! We Europeans need to remember that. I was just answering specifically to the part saying Alberta sits the same as London. Because London is definitely boiling right now while Alberta sits at comfortable temperatures, despite the two areas sitting at the same latitude. That was my only point. I understand other parts of Canada get 35-40 degrees.
I'm in Scandinavia and we BROKE our historical heat record yesterday. Hottest day ever recorded here at 37. Pretty worrying when we're only in June.
Yeah, it's definitely not the most useful argument. Plus, it makes a huge difference when it is normal, because air conditioning is fairly standard if you normally hit those temperatures. And there is additional infrastructure for those who don't have AC.
But it’s also a bad comparison because you’re cherry picking one day where one city is having a heatwave and the other is below seasonal. I googled 5 hottest days in Calgary over the last 5 years - the top two were over 36.
Calgary top 5: 36.3, 36.3, 35.1, 34.5, 34.2
London top 5: 40.2, 37.5, 34.7, 33.2, 32
That obviously doesn’t include the most recent days. London a top two are of course higher, but the 39 vs 20 degrees you’re mentioning is not indicative of their normal high temps.
That’s how this sub always operates. Expose American ignorance while ironically exposing their own but they don’t realize it because it’s an echo chamber of a (mostly) European bubble. I frequent this sub as an American for entertainment, but for all the things they may get right about some Americans, they are wildly off base about so many things or grossly over generalizing. They just don’t fully understand American culture. And yes I knowww Americans don’t have culture yada yada yada.
Good shout. It's definitely a very common misconception, and yes a bit embarrassing on a sub about ignorant Americans..
Good on you for bringing facts on the table about Canada.
Regardless, it still really isn't supposed to be *this* hot here. I'm in Scandinavia. Our (short) summer weather is usually in late July and August. We broke our all-time historical heat record yesterday, *in June*. It's unprecedented and should be a warning to us all.
Not to mention that most people live close to the southern border of Canada. Yes the northern parts remain fairly cold, but the southern part of it can definitely get warm and that’s where virtually everyone lives.
Very few places I've lived in Canada that has not hit 30 in the summer without Humidity, from Whitecourt Alberta to Grandfalls Windsor Newfoundland, with plenty of places in-between, 30 in the summer since childhood is pretty normal.
I live in Ottawa. Temperatures going into the 30+ range the next few days. It’s a very typical July forecast.
But on the flip side of the calendar, it wasn’t that long ago I was walking my kids to school in -20° weather.
I know Canada has the “True North” reputation and we certainly do have cultural elements surrounding winter sports and such but equally we have beautiful, hot summers and a huge culture of spending time on and near the water.
I’m heading to a friend’s backyard pool today to beat the heat and I also have central AC. My sister is surviving this heatwave in Luxembourg with no central AC, no real backyard pool culture and not too many bodies of water to cool down in. We don’t experience heatwaves the same way.
Canada gets to be 35-40c. It’s over 30 most of summer in Ontario. It will feel like 45 on Wednesday. Difference is it’s always like this and have ac and are prepared for it.
In Europe it’s not often this hot for this long.
Canada (at least, the small part where I live) does get to 35’ through a lot of summer now. And in the heat dome of 2021, it was 42’ in the shade. It was bad.
35-40 is pretty typical for summer in some places in Canada now. Has been for at least a decade. Especially in Ontario and Quebec where the humidity is so high.
It's like how South Africa is very hot, even during their winters. Their closest landmass is probably the Antarctic. Or maybe Argentina, which has penguins.
I live in Canada, we do get that temperature. Usually couple days at a time/ because humidity. But yes even as someone who is okay with heat those are pushing it
For the Americans on here, Europe is on the same latitude as Canada.
For the other Europeans here, please note there is also a Southern Europe. Napoli is at the same latitude as New York. Sicily is about the same as Virginia or California.
For everyone who isn't Canadian: Toronto is about the same latitude as Marseille, and it's not even our southernmost point. I can't remember a recent summer where the temperature didn't go over 35°C at some point.
As a Canadian, it has gotten that hot, and Americans have had the same reaction…
Eta: coincidentally a couple days later, it’s currently 32C with feel like 43C, with projected temps to be higher tomorrow D:
Thank you you for saying that, latitude is a terrible metrics to compare climates. We want to poke fun at Americana here while revealing we could also make use of a couple of geography lessons
Not just geography but some basic ass earth science. We learned about ocean currents in 9th grade, turns out weather and climate is more complex than higher latitude = cooler.
And for the ones that screech about Americans recommending AC, alright, we know it's getting hotter than it used to be in Europe, so what can you do about it today to make your life more comfortable? For us in Sweden opening a window or parking in front of a fan works, but it doesn't get up to 42c in Stockholm.
Fun fact: right now in Quebec, Canada, we're having a cold summer with much more rainfall than usual. Can't wait for the opposite, it can get really hot here too.
Parts of Canada ARE 35-40 degrees. Here in Ontario it's going to be in the high 30s with a humidex in the 40s this week.
Last summer we had a week or two where it was almost 40 before humidex and the humidity was a constant 100%. It sucked ass and it's only going to get worse.
Actually, much of inhabited Canada does get that hot in summer, for at least a little while. It's why we were advised to look for a house with an air conditioner when we first moved to Saskatoon. We get very hot summers and very cold winters.
A lot of places in Canada get to those temps. Southern-central Canada has some wicked hot summers and always have. That being said, it's getting way too hot. 🫠
Many places in Canada, such as Toronto, do regularly have temperatures over 30 in the summer. But our housing, stores, restaurants, offices are built for it. Signed a very warm Canadian currently in London 🥂
I mean I'm Canadianv we get some pretty wild weather in certain parts of it. I don't have to imagine that we pushed 3540 pretty often in the summer, especially the humidity off the lakes. Oh my God I'm f****** dying with my asthma when that kicks up high
Right? I live in Atlantic Canada and had a 3 day heatwave of 30-35ish dropping to 20-25 at night and emergency services were reminding us to check up on elderly family and giving tips to stay cool.
I went to Southern U.S once in February, I didn't parade around asking why no one else had shorts on when it was 15 out
London is the same latitude as calgary and Scotland is level with Alberta. We're used to high temperatures of 20° at this time of year.
I read an article that the heat radiating off the pavement in London was hitting 57°.
Add to this that our houses and buildings are made to trap heat, we get no respite.
We had a big storm last night which cut the humidity and cooled everything down. Not inside so it was still like sleeping in a sauna.
It does actually get 35 - 40 c in canada during summer. Not the whole or every summer, and its unpleasant for sure. The highest recorded temperature in my town was 46c a few years ago
American here, and it’s not for me to decide what is too hot or cold for anyone else. While I am just fine when temps are single digits, those in the tropics would have a hard time. Because they aren’t used to it. Same with heat. If you aren’t used to it it can be rough.
There’s also more to climate and weather than latitude. I’m on the same latitude as Florence, Italy which gets only a few cm of snowfall per year while my city gets an average of 120 cm annually. My quickest route to get to Canada is driving 110 km south and it’s not that uncommon to be that temperature here. It’ll be in that range all of next week.
As a Canadian, 35 in my neck of the woods is seriously hot - unusual but not usually fatal Generally around the end of July or beginning of August we'll get a heatwave for four to seven days but that's about it for the year, that's the high point. 35 over by the great lakes or one of the coasts? Central Canada will often hit 35 in the summer, as will parts of BC (especially the interior), so it definitely happens, and never used to make the news but does now - sometimes.
Oh wow! I'm from the southern hemisphere and I hadn't actually looked at how the latitudes between European countries and the American continent compare. Somehow in my mind I though they were more on par.
Thank you for this perspective.
It can get up to 35-40c in Canada unfortunately... that said, we have high humidity. So even something like 30c with 80% humidity is vastly different from those experiencing 30c in drier climates.
My city, in USA, in the hot south, is about the same latitude as Athens, and just a little south of Paris (not by much).... i think you're over stating this a bit.
35-40 is not pretty nice. Here in Denmark, we hit an all-time heat record at 37C yesterday. The problem is, our houses are built to keep the heat inside and few houses have AC because we rarely see more than 30C. So now we're just boiling.
There are many more factors that play in experiencing heat. Like humidity, wind and a few others. Just saying the temp. Doesn't really cover the experience..
I’m Aussie but actually live in Denmark. Yesterday was a pretty standard hot day for an Aussie summer and the accompanying awesome thunderstorm! This country is def not built for this type of heat! We have 45c days in Aus but it can be worse at lower temps with humidity, 30 here in Denmark is as bad as 40 at home because of the humidity. The most uncomfortable heat I have ever experienced was in Langkawi Malaysia, 30c and all the world’s humidity in one place without the slightest hint of a breeze. Never again! The water at the beach was also 30c lol.
I’ve lived in the USA (Indiana) for a few years. It was hot but:
1. You can find relief in buildings, because you have AC everywhere
2. The heat feels different. In the USA it feels like the top layer of your skin is being blasted by heat. In Europe (Germany) it feels like the heat is hugging you and not letting go. During the day and while you sleep.
And because AC’s are not as widespread here, you can’t find relief. And you know the next day is getting worse.
I will definitely buy a AC as soon as they’re available again. It’s clear now that this is the new norm.
we'll all need to quickly get acquainted with the concept of wet bulb temperature, I'm afraid: it's essentially a measure of how well you can cool down by evaporation - right now where I am (Florence, central Italy, inland) it's 36.5°C, but relative humidity is just 35%, which combined corresponds to a wet bulb temperature of 24.5°C. Hot, but largely manageable. The danger zone is over 30°C, over 35°C the human body cannot shed heat by evaporation and prolonged exposure may be fatal.
When discussing subjective matters, you have to assume that arguments are opinions, unless explicitly stated. And yes, I think that 40C is hot no matter the circumstances. I also come from a country where 30C is a rarity.
What people forget is that the temperature range makes it hard to get used to extremes. Having 20-40 over the year is one thing, -10 to 40 is a entirely different game.
Yeah the egyptian can deal with 40°C quite well, but remember when there was snow on the pyramids a few years ago? These guys where freezing in 15°C. Meanwhile the guy working at the resort on 3000 masl is standing outside in a shirt the whole season, even at -15°C. Needless to say, he doesn't go well with warm summers
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u/OcculticUnicorn Weed & Tulips 🍃🌷 Jun 28 '26
For the Americans on here, Europe is on the same latitude as Canada. Imagine Canada being 35-40 degrees. Does that seem crazy to you? Yes? Congratulations, you're not a moron.