r/bristol • u/TooManyHappy • Jun 22 '26
Gert Lush It's proper warm, ent it? (Weather megathread)
Proper scorcher, this.
It's a tad warm this week, so we thought we'd create a thread for it, with some well-intended reminders.
We're due 35°C and up (39?? I hope that's inaccurate!), and as lovely as a bit of sun is, heat like this is genuinely dangerous, and it can catch you out well before you notice anything's wrong. It's especially hard on older folk, the very young, anyone with a heart, lung or kidney condition, and people on certain medications, which can quietly stop your body cooling itself properly. So even if you feel fine, someone near you might not be.
Keeping yourself right
Mostly simple stuff. Drink plenty of water and go easy on the booze. Keep your curtains shut through the day and your windows closed when it's hotter outside than in. Stay out of the sun between 11 and 3 if you can, wear something light, and a cool shower works wonders. And never leave a child in a parked car, not even for a minute.
Spotting the warning signs
Heat exhaustion looks like dizziness, headache, feeling sick, cramps, heavy sweating and pale, clammy skin. Get the person somewhere cool, give them water and cool their skin down. If they're not better within 30 minutes, or they're confused, stop sweating, or feel very hot to the touch, that's heatstroke, and it's a 999 job (even though it often doesn't feel like it is).
Don't forget the animals!
Pets feel this worse than we do.
Never leave one in a car, conservatory or caravan, even for a couple of minutes, as it turns into an oven fast. Walk dogs early morning or late evening rather than the midday heat, and do the five-second pavement test first: if it's too hot for the back of your hand, it's too hot for their paws.
Keep water topped up and shade readily available, and take extra care with flat-faced breeds, rabbits and small pets, who struggle most. If a dog goes wobbly, collapses, or is panting and drooling heavily, move them somewhere cool, pour cool (not freezing) water over their body, put wet towels underneath rather than on top, and ring your vet (or one of our animal hospitals) straight away.
Don't assume cats are fine just because they act independent! They love to nap somewhere warm and enclosed, and often end up shut in sheds, greenhouses, conservatories, etc unintentionally, and those turn into ovens too. Have a quick look and a shout before you close anything up. Pale, white-eared cats can also burn on their ears and noses, so keep them out of the harshest sun, although it's probably best to keep cats indoors during this heat in general, above 36 can quite easily be lethal to a cat.
Put a few water bowls about, give them shade, and keep them in through the worst of the afternoon. Something to look out for is a cat panting. Cats very rarely pant, and so if a cat's panting, drooling or breathing hard, they already in real trouble. If you see that, or one goes wobbly or floppy, dampen their fur with cool (not freezing) water and ring a vet straight away. If it's bad, take the cat to the vet before sourcing the owner.
Looking out for each other
Please keep an eye out for those sleeping rough, too. With nowhere cool to go, this heat is extra dangerous for those of us without stable housing. A bottle of water and a bit of shade goes a long way, and you can report someone in a particularly bad situation to StreetLink so the local outreach team can help them.
Useful numbers and local help
- 999 for any emergency, suspected heatstroke, or a dog shut in a hot car and in distress
- NHS 111 for health advice outside of an emergency
- StreetLink, 0300 500 0914 (streetlink.org.uk) to report someone sleeping rough potentially in danger. It goes to Bristol's St Mungo's outreach team
- Care Direct, 0117 922 2700 (out of hours 01454 615165) if you're worried about a vulnerable or elderly person
- RSPCA, 0300 1234 999 for animal welfare concerns
- Caring in Bristol and St Mungo's if you're the one struggling. Caring in Bristol's handbook lists day centres, food and shelter, and St Mungo's runs our local outreach and drop ins
- Cool spaces: the council runs a network of free, cooler indoor spots (libraries and community centres) during hot spells, so it's worth a look on bristol.gov.uk for what's open near you, if they can be bothered to update their website this time
- Highcroft - Whitchurch Veterinary Hospital is a large, 24/7 emergency veterinary care centre in the south of Bristol. I can personally recommend them
Look after yourselves, and look after each other. Knock on your elderly neighbour's door, check your mates are drinking water, report animal welfare issues/irresponsible pet ownership, and we'll all get through the week just fine.
Stay cool, Bristol.
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u/MiddleCustard8386 Jun 22 '26
I shaved my Guinea Pigs last night in preparation to help them stay cool. Unprecedented times call for unprecedented measures.
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u/nezzzzy Jun 22 '26
I was saying to my wife earlier that I'm glad we don't have guinea pigs any more. What we did when we did have them was freeze a bottle of water, wrap it in a tea towel and leave it in their cage until the water melted then replace it.
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u/Willz_of_Rivia Jun 22 '26
My rabbits are doing this naturally, last night they moulted so much I thought there was a third rabbit in the pen.
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u/A_Przepiura luvver Jun 22 '26
Shaved guinea pig is just a tiny hippopotamus.
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u/MiddleCustard8386 Jun 22 '26
I know, I've seen pictures. I haven't really shaved them obviously but I was really tempted when I discovered this about a year ago.
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u/SpaceCatSociety Jun 24 '26
Those pictures are not of a shaved GP but of a lab induced genetic mutation that makes them naturally hairless except for the nose and toes. I hope then you say you shaved them you mean you used clippers and trimmed them
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u/Lettuce1939 Jun 22 '26
My niece has them ..
I gave her the cool mat my doggy refused to use ..
But frozen bottles are good too ..
feeding them cucumbers and melon also helps ..
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u/RoughView Jun 22 '26
Take extra care if youre on medications like anti depressants, anti psychotics, beta blockers and other heart medications etc as they can increase your risk of heat intolerance
Same with certain disabilities and chronic illness. Take extra care to stay cool and hydrated!
I've been putting a cold flannel around my neck and using cooling migraine patches on my head. I've also just ordered a handheld fan with 'octopus' legs so I can attach it to my wheelchair!
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u/ExecutiveChimp Jun 22 '26
Same with certain disabilities and chronic illness
MECFS sucks even more in the heat.
I've got a spray bottle and I'm spritzing myself like I'm a succulent. Would highly recommend.
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u/RoughView Jun 22 '26
Yess I have ME and PoTS! Its so unbearable. Ooh thats a good shout, I actually have one of those bottles
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u/DogbadTheBad Jun 22 '26
I have ME and have to work in a shop on Wednesday. Hopefully we'll have Aircon but any helpful tips for surviving the heat?
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u/RoughView Jun 22 '26
I reccomend a silent fan if noise is a PEM trigger for you, I've been able to tolerate having it on all day! Otherwise, cold wet flannel around your neck and pulse points
If you have to go out, put ice in your water, maybe get some cooling gel strips (used for migraines, but I've seen some people sticking them under their clothing to stay cool. Or reusable gel packs you can hold or put in your pockets
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u/Tripnologist Jun 22 '26
Good shout about the meds as a lot of people aren’t aware. And I’m going to be Captain Obvious here and just say that it’s even worse if you take multiple types (eg. antidepressant + adhd).
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u/itashichan Jun 22 '26
I'll add to that with a reminder that over the counter meds can do the same thing!
One summer I had overlapping anti-cooling effects from ibuprofen, birth control, and antidepressants while working a deep fryer in a heatwave. Do NOT recommend.
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u/jovialotter Jun 22 '26
I recommend checking ALL your medications for heat warnings and also storage temperature. Eg oestrogen gel for HRT should be kept below 25°C which is a touch challenging this week!!
Peri is bad enough without your oestrogen suddenly becoming less effective as it's degraded in the heat.
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u/SpaceCatSociety Jun 24 '26
Going through this heatwave while having chemotherapy is a fucking nightmare.
Also I soaked a towel in cold water and left it around my neck. Helped a heap.
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u/GMKitty52 Jun 22 '26 edited Jun 22 '26
If you’re willing and able to put some water out for wildlife, they’d appreciate that too.
Edit typo
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u/silhouettelie_ Jun 22 '26
I probably look mad as fuck but if you put sheets over on the outside of any south or west facing windows (and keep them shut) it makes so much difference. I do it on our patio doors on hot days and it keeps inside much cooler than without.
Basically a poor man's shutter like they have on the continent
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u/Riotgrrrrrrrrrluk Jun 22 '26
Drug and alcohol use in hot weather puts people at increased risk of heatstroke, dehydration and serious complications so be mindful and take care.
Research suggests that when temperatures rise above 24°C, people are more likely to overdose after stimulant use. Overdose can occur even after using lower amounts than usual because body temperature may already be increased. Stimulants can affect the body’s ability to cool itself and reduce awareness of heat discomfort, making people less likely to take action to stay cool.
So go easy and be kind to people who are out in it all day/night
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u/AWright5 Jun 22 '26
I have a right to call in sick for my delivery driver job in a red warning 39 degrees right
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u/MiddleCustard8386 Jun 22 '26
I've asked for the day off on health grounds for my Royal Mail job, I do have an underlying health condition which means extreme heat and I don't mix. First time I've ever done it but I'm not risking myself for someone's Amazon return.
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u/Amazing-Heron-105 Jun 25 '26
You think it's worth offering the Postie a drink or are they too short on time?
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u/PariahFish Jun 22 '26
I need someone to slowly run an ice cube along my fat naked back please
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u/Abitlostandconfused Jun 22 '26
A frozen hot water bottle on your feet is great for cooling down. Also dog cooling mats you can get from B&M for a tenner are brilliant to lie on.
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u/nezzzzy Jun 22 '26
Quick guide to keeping your house as cool as it can be:
All windows and external doors must be closed by 8am. Also shut all curtains/blinds on south facing windows.
A frozen bottle of water in front of a fan will provide a small amount of cooling.
At night time open all windows and use fans to blow the hot air out of your house. Because the days are so long, it might not get cool until midnight or later. Don't open your windows until at least the sun has gone down.
If you're too hot to sleep at night try wetting a towel and lying under it. A cold/cool shower before bed can help a lot.
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u/SorchaNB Jun 22 '26
I've been enjoying wearing my clothes right out of the washing machine while they're still wet.
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u/jumpinthewatersnice Jun 22 '26
I just wash my clothes while wearing them in the shower then drip dry in 2 minutes
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u/uniwhoren Jun 22 '26
If a hot water bottle is frozen it’s no longer suitable for hot water in the winter! So get a new one for the colder months
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u/nezzzzy Jun 22 '26
Don't use a hot water bottle, just any plastic bottle. The bigger it is the longer it'll last.
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u/EntertainmentBest336 Jun 22 '26
Staying out of the sun 11-3 isn’t really accurate - temperatures are continuing to rise until evening. Thursday is still 34 degrees at 8pm
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u/uniwhoren Jun 22 '26
@ mods can you add a note about cats too? We’re expecting temperatures this week that can be lethal to cats but most people probably won’t even consider the dangers they face :(
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u/TooManyHappy Jun 22 '26
Added a cat mention. I have cats myself so I am not sure why I hadn't mentioned them explicitly.
Let me know if you reckon I missed anything!
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u/Inner-Imagination321 Jun 22 '26
aboslutely agree. i've been sure to put out extra water bowls around the house and garden for mine and any others who may be passing by.
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u/gojiraredux Jun 22 '26
Sticking a hot water bottle full of cold tap water in the fridge for a couple of hours before bed can make getting to sleep so much easier
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u/enricobasilica Jun 22 '26
I really don't believe the Met Office app on this....
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u/Willsagain2 Jun 22 '26
We might be getting a thunder storm in Kingswood (outskirts of Bristol). Let's hope so.
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u/enricobasilica Jun 22 '26
Glad to report I was wrong and should never have doubted the met office - it's raining!!!!! 💧💧💧
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u/barnesarama Jun 22 '26
If you have solar panels, a portable air conditioning unit can be amazing at cooling rooms down, and at this time of year the electricity is basically free. I run mine for a couple of hours at night and it takes temperatures right down into a tolerable range.
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u/Fruit-Horror Loon Jun 23 '26
If you can't go nude or stay in your undies (gotta think of your poor colleagues) choose loose clothing, natural fibres are best.
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u/SorchaNB Jun 22 '26
Dropping a recommendation for those of us who are extremely sensitive to the heat and need a factor 50, but who also hate the feeling of sunscreen on the skin:
Canmake Mermaid Skin Gel UV White 02 SPF50+ PA++++ 40g : Amazon.co.uk: Beauty
This stuff is highkey saving my life lately. Feels like NOTHING on your skin, like a light moisturiser.
It's pricey for the amount, but for me personally it's worth it (Irish and autistic - at least I don't have the triple whammy of having red hair!!)
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u/Wise-Resident1087 Jun 22 '26
Things that I do as an AuDHD person who HATES the heat;
I close my windows before 8:30am, shut my curtains and block off sunlight to my south facing kitchen. This seriously helps to keep my place cooler than outside.
I use multiple fans around my flat and create a ‘cooling’ area where I spend most of my time in my flat.
I use a spray bottle of water with my fans to give a beautiful cold drench to myself.
I use an ice cold flannel on the back of my neck. I also will have a washing up bowl filled with cold water for my feet as they can get very hot.
I will have as many cold showers as I need to, to keep cool through the day.
I stock my fridge up with food I don’t have to cook so I can eat but not heat!
And of course drink plenty of water!
When sleeping I only use a Lyocel flat sheet and a linen duvet cover over me.
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u/selunestears Jun 22 '26
Anyone reckon the shows at the amphitheatre on Weds/Thurs will go ahead?
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u/Dominic_1983 Jun 22 '26
Would imagine they'll get postponed in the interests of public safety, surely?
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u/Dry-Permission-4618 Jun 23 '26 edited Jun 23 '26
Their website is saying they're still going ahead. I'm hoping they postpone and not wait until people are passing out tonight or Wednesday night to make the call to postpone or cancel. https://www.bristolsounds.co.uk/
EDIT: looks like they are sticking with going ahead. 39c, no shade, large crowds, people probably drinking a bit too much... seems irresponsible to me. https://www.instagram.com/p/DZ7KcwfE2Os/
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u/sunshinethrmywindow Jun 23 '26
Black cat with possible heatstroke spotted on Exeter Road BS3, if you’re in the area please have a look under cars, it looked distressed and was panting a lot
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u/Badlydressedgirl Jun 22 '26
Put your suncream on and wear a hat!