British heat wave report on youtube
In the UK the year round weather is so blighted by rain and clouds – but the population got a well deserved break recently with some thermometer busting conditions. During the end of June and beginning of July temperatures rocketed to a whopping 35 Celsius (95F), the warmest since 2006. It was also the highest recorded temperature in June for decades – the average for June is 19-22 degrees Celcius (around 70 degrees Fahrenheit).
However when you subject such conditions on a people who hardly ever experience it, you can be sure of a little madness flying about.
Sunburn City
First thing you see when the sun comes out in the UK is people stripping down to bikinis to make the most of the sun. With temperatures like this you can’t but avoid swarms of sunbathers trying to get a natural tan for once, jostling for space in the best suntanning spots. No doubt doctors surgeries will get more than a few patients through their doors with worrying signs of skin cancer.
The Grass Is Always Greener
True to form, the British mentality can’t deal with simply being happy and counting there blessings for more than a few days. As sure as the sun sets, people soon started to complain about it being too hot, getting nostalgic about how cool it was last week. And, inevitably, there were petitions to demand the government do something about the awful hot weather and lack of air conditioning in public places!
Staying Cool
While one half of the British population is stripping down to their underwear, the other half rushes down to the high street and sucks up the entire stock of desk fans like some sweaty, many-headed monster. According to Google, searches for the term “portable air conditioner” in the UK went from 9,900 in May to 49,500 in June!
Nothing Lasts Forever
Sadly the tropical heatwave didn’t last and since this scorching seven days the country has been hit by equally severe rain and thunder storms. Many environmental campaigners are pointing to these extremities as yet more evidence of the effects of climate change.Now, of course, the UK public is now starting to complain about the rain and harking back to the heatwave. I suppose you just cannot win.