The UK heatwaves can feel like an extreme sport, but why is that?
The extreme heat even forced the cancellation of a talk on extreme heat during the London Climate Action Week, and iconic attractions like Tower Bridge and Cutty Sark closed due to the weather, while London pavements and station platforms clocked almost 60C.
'The UK sun hits different.'
May also saw record-breaking heat across the country, which was described as 'exceptional.'
One resident pointed out: 'I've lived in the US for the last two summers, and it regularly reached 35, it was NEVER as unbearable as the last two days here have been. UK heat is genuinely the worst. People don't understand.'
London is not equipped to deal with extreme heat, and even the mayor has admitted that.
Another resident added: 'We finally reached that time of year where ppl from the UK complain about the heat, then ppl from hotter countries say we're being dramatic, then ppl who r visiting the UK admit that the heat is unbearable.'
So why does the UK feel hotter than other countries when temperatures get like this?
London can feel particularly suffocating, and green spaces are limited.
Quite rightly, people are wondering why the temperatures always feel sweltering when it gets to this time of the year.
Meteorologically, the UK air tends to be more humid compared to that in continental Europe.
High humidity can make it harder for sweat to evaporate, which is how we naturally cool ourselves down.
Another reason why we are all feeling so hot right now is the way in which our houses are built.
Houses in Europe are often more adapted to higher temperatures, allowing those inside to stay cool.
While many in the UK need well-insulated homes for those cold winter months, which means they naturally retain heat.
The last factor is all down to people's mentality which is different to when they are abroad on holiday.
When people from the UK go abroad, they're often well-prepared for heat.
Many European countries have a routine that is adapted to it being hot.
The heat can sometimes feel worse in the UK simply down to not expecting it in the same way people do when they go abroad.
What is being done to adapt UK to heatwaves?
Campaigners have described the extreme heat week as a 'public health emergency' driven by fossil fuel companies and emissions.
They have called on the government to help cool down homes and schools and set safe limits for workers, along with more shade and green spaces.
Green spaces and canopies have become a lifeline in this heatwave, but access to them remains unequal, while access to public spaces have felt the squeeze.
Research shows that only 26% of people in the most deprived neighbourhoods have access to a green space, compared with 38% of the least deprived areas.
In London, even the mayor has admitted that the city is not ready to cope with the worsening summer conditions as he unveiled the city's first heat plan.
It is inspired by the desert city of Phoenix and how it deals with extreme temperatures that are predicted to become the new norm in the not-so-distant future.
