Four reasons why UK heatwaves always feel hotter than the same 30C heat abroad
A UK heatwave feels more intense than hot weather abroad due to several factors. Experts explain exactly why this is the case as the Met Office forecasts 34C temperatures for parts of England
If you've ever wondered why 25°C in the UK feels like a sauna compared to the same temperature abroad, don't worry, many others have also wondered the same. It's not just all in your head, and it actually might be a legitimate grievance.
According to NHS doctor Dr Karan Raj, there are some very real and logical reasons why heatwaves in Britain feel so unbearable – and it's not just because we're not used to it. Taking to TikTok, Dr Raj known online as @dr.karanr explained why British heat hits differently and he laid out some key reasons why summer in the UK can feel like you're 'a roast barbecue pig'.
The Met Office said the UK is set to reach highs of 34C this weekend, with large parts of the UK basking in temperatures around 30C.
Humidity
The first culprit? Humidity. British heat is often accompanied by high relative humidity, which is the amount of moisture in the air compared to the maximum it can hold at a given temperature. When humidity is high, sweat doesn't evaporate as effectively – and that's a big problem for cooling down.
"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 35C in a dry climate can feel more comfortable than 25C in a place with high relative humidity."
It's the reason why 35°C in a dry climate like Spain or Portugal might feel far more bearable than 25°C on a muggy day in the Midlands.
Homes designed to trap heat
Another reason Brits feel the burn? Our buildings are simply not built for the heat. 'In the UK, the buildings are designed to retain heat because the weather is usually cold, soggy and silly,' says Dr Raj. Great in the winter not so much during a summer scorcher.
Most UK homes don't have air conditioning, and insulation that helps conserve warmth in the winter turns homes into mini greenhouses during a heatwave. By contrast, buildings in warmer countries are often designed to stay cool think thick walls, large windows, shutters, and heat-reflecting coatings.
We're simply not set up for it
The Met Office agrees that the UK isn't well equipped to handle high temperatures. Annie Shuttleworth, a Met Office meteorologist, told Stylist that how we experience heat at home versus abroad plays a huge role.
'When we experience heat abroad, we're usually on holiday, and may be close to a pool or the beach,' she says. And let's be honest lounging with a cocktail in hand feels a lot better than sweating through your morning commute. Meanwhile, air conditioning and heat-adapted buildings make a world of difference in southern Europe.
Even at night, there's no relief. Without cooler night-time temperatures, our bodies don't get a chance to recover.
How heat affects the body
It's not all in your head, there's real science behind it. Heat loss relies on a temperature gradient between your body and the surrounding air. When it's hot and humid, that process becomes less efficient.
"Sweating cools you down because when the water evaporates, it transfers energy away from your body. However, sweating is less effective if there is already a lot of moisture in the air," explains Dr Matthew Patterson, a meteorologist speaking to BBC Science Focus. But when the air is already saturated with moisture, sweat struggles to evaporate, making you feel even hotter.
This is also why the UK sees heat-health alerts even when temperatures are in the low 30s. These levels might seem pleasant elsewhere, but they can cause serious disruption in the UK. Risk to life, wildfires, transport chaos, and power outages are all on the cards during a UK heatwave.
How to keep cool
The NHS advises staying out of the sun when possible, especially between 11am and 3pm. If you do need to head out, wear light clothing, a hat, and use sunscreen. At home, keep blinds and windows shut during the day and open them at night to let in cooler air.
Drink plenty of fluids and consider taking a cool shower or dampening your clothes to help regulate your body temperature.
If you're feeling dizzy, nauseous, or overly tired, these could be signs of heat exhaustion. Other symptoms include headaches, pale and clammy skin, muscle cramps, fast breathing or heartbeat, and extreme thirst.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Herald Scotland
38 minutes ago
- The Herald Scotland
Cooler weather forecast after UK sees hottest day of the year
However, Sunday is expected to be a day of 'sunny spells and showers' with highs of around 27C and 28C, Met Office weather forecaster Dan Stroud said. Conditions are expected to feel 'a lot fresher' in the west of the country whilst remaining 'very warm and humid' in the east, he added. 'For the vast majority of the country, the temperature is going to be much, much closer to the mid, late June average. 'As we move our way through Sunday night into Monday, it's going to feel a lot fresher for us all, a lot more comfortable sleeping conditions.' This comes after a yellow warning for thunderstorms, covering parts of south-east Scotland, Yorkshire, the Midlands and Wales was issued by the Met Office from 5pm on Saturday until 3am on Sunday. A yellow warning for thunderstorms has been issued by the Met Office over the weekend after the sunny weather (Lucy North/PA) Up to 40mm of rain could fall in less than two hours, the forecaster said, as it urged those in the warning areas, which includes Manchester, Derbyshire and Newcastle upon Tyne, to consider whether their location is at risk of flash flooding and to prepare accordingly. Overnight on Saturday, 'a lot cooler' and 'a lot fresher' conditions are forecast, with the exception of the east of England, including London and the South East, which could experience a 'tropical night', Mr Stroud said. 'In one or two spots that could potentially be a tropical night, which is where the overnight minimums actually fail to drop below 20 degrees,' he added. 'We haven't had any of those yet.' On Friday night, Somerset came 'very close' to recording a tropical night as temperatures dropped to a minimum of 19.7C, the forecaster said. An official heatwave is recorded when areas reach a certain temperature for three consecutive days, with thresholds varying from 25C to 28C in different parts of the UK. 'Many places' in England and 'one or two areas' in Wales, including Cardiff, entered a heatwave following Friday's highest temperatures, the Met Office previously said. An amber heat-health alert, issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) for the first time since September 2023, for all regions in England remains in place over the weekend. (PA Graphics) The agency has warned that significant impacts are likely across health and social care services, including an increase in demand, during the alert period. Temperatures reached 32.2C in Kew, west London, on Thursday while Friday saw highs of 30.8C recorded in both England and Wales. Ireland's hottest temperature for almost three years of 29.6C was recorded on Friday in Mount Dillon, Co Roscommon, Irish forecaster Met Eireann said. Pharmacies have advised their patients to store medicines safely as the heat-health alert continues, adding that most medicines kept at room temperature should be stored in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight and hot areas, the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) said. Warmer temperatures may lead to some medicine losing its effectiveness or unwanted side effects, the NPC added. The hot weather comes as thousands of people watched the sunrise over Stonehenge in Wiltshire to celebrate the summer solstice on Saturday, marking the year's longest day.
Western Telegraph
42 minutes ago
- Western Telegraph
Cooler weather forecast after UK sees hottest day of the year
On Saturday, provisional temperatures recorded included 33.2C in Charlwood, Surrey, 26.9C in Bute Park in Cardiff and 27.2C in Aviemore in the Highlands. However, Sunday is expected to be a day of 'sunny spells and showers' with highs of around 27C and 28C, Met Office weather forecaster Dan Stroud said. Conditions are expected to feel 'a lot fresher' in the west of the country whilst remaining 'very warm and humid' in the east, he added. 'For the vast majority of the country, the temperature is going to be much, much closer to the mid, late June average. 'As we move our way through Sunday night into Monday, it's going to feel a lot fresher for us all, a lot more comfortable sleeping conditions.' This comes after a yellow warning for thunderstorms, covering parts of south-east Scotland, Yorkshire, the Midlands and Wales was issued by the Met Office from 5pm on Saturday until 3am on Sunday. A yellow warning for thunderstorms has been issued by the Met Office over the weekend after the sunny weather (Lucy North/PA) Up to 40mm of rain could fall in less than two hours, the forecaster said, as it urged those in the warning areas, which includes Manchester, Derbyshire and Newcastle upon Tyne, to consider whether their location is at risk of flash flooding and to prepare accordingly. Overnight on Saturday, 'a lot cooler' and 'a lot fresher' conditions are forecast, with the exception of the east of England, including London and the South East, which could experience a 'tropical night', Mr Stroud said. 'In one or two spots that could potentially be a tropical night, which is where the overnight minimums actually fail to drop below 20 degrees,' he added. 'We haven't had any of those yet.' On Friday night, Somerset came 'very close' to recording a tropical night as temperatures dropped to a minimum of 19.7C, the forecaster said. An official heatwave is recorded when areas reach a certain temperature for three consecutive days, with thresholds varying from 25C to 28C in different parts of the UK. 'Many places' in England and 'one or two areas' in Wales, including Cardiff, entered a heatwave following Friday's highest temperatures, the Met Office previously said. An amber heat-health alert, issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) for the first time since September 2023, for all regions in England remains in place over the weekend. (PA Graphics) The agency has warned that significant impacts are likely across health and social care services, including an increase in demand, during the alert period. Temperatures reached 32.2C in Kew, west London, on Thursday while Friday saw highs of 30.8C recorded in both England and Wales. Ireland's hottest temperature for almost three years of 29.6C was recorded on Friday in Mount Dillon, Co Roscommon, Irish forecaster Met Eireann said. Pharmacies have advised their patients to store medicines safely as the heat-health alert continues, adding that most medicines kept at room temperature should be stored in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight and hot areas, the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) said. Warmer temperatures may lead to some medicine losing its effectiveness or unwanted side effects, the NPC added. The hot weather comes as thousands of people watched the sunrise over Stonehenge in Wiltshire to celebrate the summer solstice on Saturday, marking the year's longest day.
Sky News
2 hours ago
- Sky News
UK weather: Up to 40mm of rain could fall in two hours amid thunderstorm warning
A yellow warning is in place for "potentially intense" thunderstorms in large parts of the country - and some places could have up to 40mm of rainfall in less than two hours. The Met Office said there could also be "frequent lightning, large hail and strong winds". The alert lasts until 3am on Sunday and covers parts of North East and North West England, the Midlands, Yorkshire, northeast Wales and the Scottish Borders. The Met Office urged those in the warning areas to consider if their location is at risk of flash flooding and to prepare accordingly. Forecasters have said the heatwave in parts of England and Wales provides "perfect conditions" for thunderstorms. On Saturday, the UK had the hottest day of 2025 so far, with a temperature of 33.2C (91.7F) recorded in Charlwood, Surrey. And thousands of people watched the sunrise over Stonehenge in Wiltshire to celebrate the summer solstice, marking the year's longest day. Met Office meteorologist Jonathan Vautrey said "hot and humid air is being dragged up" from parts of continental Europe. "But we also have low pressure out in the Atlantic, and that is driving weather fronts across the UK, providing instability in the air and the perfect conditions to start sparking off some thunderstorms as that hot and humid air rises rapidly," he added. The east of England, including London and the South East, could experience a "tropical night", although most of the country will see "a lot cooler" and "a lot fresher" conditions, Met Office forecaster Dan Stroud said. "In one or two spots, that could potentially be a tropical night, which is where the overnight minimums actually fail to drop below 20 degrees (centigrade)," he added. Sunday will see a day of "sunny spells and showers" with highs of around 27C and 28C, Mr Stroud said. An amber heat-health alert for all regions in England remains in place over the weekend. The alert, issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), has warned that significant impacts are likely during the alert period across health and social care services, including a rise in demand.
