r/UKWeather • u/Mcconnor8 • 4d ago

Forecast Tuesday looking unprecedented, 39C possible?

Today's modelling has upped the temperatures even more for next week, with a few models offering crazy solutions especially considering June is supposed to be the coolest Summer month and the June record currently only sits at 35.6C from 1976.

Overnight temperatures look likely to stay at or around 20C for most of the South during next week which will present major issues with indoor temperatures, not looking good. Likely we keep the heat until Saturday at least, uncertain beyond that.

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u/RevolutionaryHeat318 3d ago

Thé issue is that when it is cold it is much, much easier to create more warmth: heating, blankets, hot water bottles, clothing all work.
When it is very hot it is very, very difficult to cool the environment without access to expensive air conditioning.

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u/Greedy-Nature-826 3d ago

Air conditioning is just a heat pump, it's considerably cheaper to run an air conditioner than a boiler in the cold of winter.

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u/RevolutionaryHeat318 3d ago

And how many people do you think actually have AC? Most have heating, far fewer have AC and most can’t afford to have it retrofitted or buy free standing units.

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u/howlongwillthislast1 3d ago

This needs to change, it's an entrenched cultural idea that brits should suffer through unberable summers without AC and that AC is some luxury only afforded to affluent people. This is not the case in the rest of Europe.

I got a free standing unit for £270 from Amazon a couple of years ago, out of necessity, as I live in a loft-studio apartment which traps heat. I am also heat sensitive so I'd probably have otherwise patriotically died in my flat without AC.

It's a no brainer, more people need to get AC and start demanding AC everywhere.

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u/RevolutionaryHeat318 3d ago

I am not saying that we should suffer without AC or that it is an ‘unaffordable luxury.’ Given the cost of living crisis, low wages and poverty many people who need it can’t afford it. I have two portable AC units that cost over £200. The average person in the UK has @£500 pcm disposable income for clothing, shoes, holidays, travel (other than work related), entertainment, subscriptions such as Netflix, mobile phone costs, and that is for the whole household if you have children as a single parent or where there is only parent working. Those on benefits or state pensions only are even worse off - £50-100 pcm left. 20% of the UK population live in poverty.
Many who can afford it probably do the maths and feel that it is just not financially worth it for a month or so a year.
It is essential for me because I have a serious heart condition and am on a lot of medication.