I seriously f'n hate summertime. I feel so damn energyless and tired all the time. If I had to choose between an all-winter year or the current 4-season year, I'd choose the former, honest to god. Thank the lord I was housesitting for a couple weeks last month.

Portable AC units are great but you need a window to vent it......Central AC for my home would run me about $15K, 'taint worth it!

My lower level where the hifi rig sits as well my home office is about 15-20F cooler, so all good! 

https://www.arborday.org/media/mapchanges.cfm" rel="nofollow - https://www.arborday.org/media/mapchanges.cfm

 

 

Locally, the coldest day of the month was 4 July 2022 at about 13°C, and 18 days of the month were below 20°C. Those days that were above 20°C were only 20-21°C. Contrast this with July last year, when the lowest maximum was about 17°C, only 11 days were below 20°C, and 5 days were above 22°C.

 

The reason I mention the coldness here is that I know the northern hemisphere has been experiencing record-breaking heat, and this may make one wonder what the other side of the planet is like during that time. Instead of being a warmer than usual winter, here it is a colder than usual winter.

 

It is not so much the temperature here, though, that has been the killer - but the humidity. I work with someone from India, and another person whose wife is from Ghana. The temperatures we are experiencing are pretty much normal temperatures where these two are from, but where they have no problem with the heat where they’re from, they have been struggling with the same temperatures in the UK.

Also, where other countries are used to experiencing these temperatures, they have infrastructure that can survive it. Our roads have been melting and buckling - the local main road near me (the A14) developed some rather interesting ripples and corrugations that required it to be temporarily closed. The runways at some airports have had the same problem.

Something that doesn’t occur to a lot of people is that larger refrigeration and air conditioning units for retail are created for different temperature zones, and those used in the UK are simply not designed to work in this heat. Several shops and food places near me have had to fully or partially close because their units have failed. The local supermarkets have kept their units going only by someone going up on the roof every half hour to spray cool water on them, and even then some of the fridges have not coped.

As for air conditioning, very few people in the UK have it in their homes, as it is simply not needed most years, or for more than a couple of days in the years it might be “needed”. I know people who have gone for a drive, just to take advantage of the car’s AC.

(* Temperatures changed to Fahrenheit, even though Celsius is used in the UK.)

While down there recently I did bump into a young lady doing work experience at a cider farm and she was from Los Angeles. She confirmed that the humidity in England was much worse than LA where it's more a 'dry heat'.

But then  the local cold craft beer tastes even better .

My summer? Fair to midland as we say around here.

Looking for better work, waiting for local power company and inspectors to get their 5hit together so I can finish my garage reno. Mostly keeping up with the property landscaping.

I’m in East Anglia, so just south(ish) of Lincolnshire. The previous record high temperature was in Cambridgeshire, and there were many met stations across East Anglia (including the local one a minute or so down the road from where I live) that recorded a temperature of 40°C. I believe the record high temperature in Lincolnshire was .01° higher than several around these parts. But East Anglia does often have very warm summers. Just not this hot. And really, the heat would be so much easier to deal with if it were not, as you say, for the humidity. A dry heat is a lot easier to deal with than the muggy weather we are suffering. For a start, at least in a dry heat you can sweat effectively, and that sweating can help cool the body down. 🔥🥵

I'm gonna say it.. nice 'Specimen' Shrub!! Just mix 'em in with yer Tomatoes and no one notices! 

I'm in Essex, we had a bit yesterday evening and overnight but hardly enough to drown a flea. About 10 minutes ago it started spitting and rain is forecast for the rest of the day. We really need it.

The pond in our local park has dried up more than I've ever seen it in over 20 years.

Its been raining fairly steadily here (on and off) all day and more intensely with thunder again this evening.. my water butts are starting to re-fill nicely.. i hear its due in the east tonight and DO hope its with you guys!!

Second...no need to hide anything, it's legal here in the greatest country in the world !

^Not till early, mid October.

But then...

You Lucky people- things have to be a bit more surreptitious in ol' blighty or you might get a visit from Mr Plod and his chums from the DS.. Yep, a bit alarming when those little pellets of ice machine gun your babies!! I cant make it to Canada but think of me next time you light a bowl

Now things are on the move.

So summer is lookin' A-Ok.