Europeans And Americans Argue About Air Con And Celsius System As Heat Wave Ravages Continent

Western Europe is currently facing a scorching heatwave with temperatures in Spain, Britain and France exceeding 40 degrees Celsius — which, in Fahrenheit, is about 104 degrees. Amid the rising temps, Britain issued its first-ever “red warning” for extreme heat this weekend.

Current situation #heatwave pic.twitter.com/vHc6AcDhvr

— Jimmy The Mower (@mowermanjimmy) July 12, 2022

In Britain and France, most people don’t have air conditioning because it usually never gets very hot in the summers. As a result, public health officials and citizens are deeply concerned about possible deaths and health problems from the extreme heat.

This is an extremely serious health situation for many in #Europe. Unprecedented heat wave underway. The % of population with air conditioning in France & the U.K. is markedly lower than the USA. Reports show ~3% of homes in U.K. and ~5% in France with A/C. @weatherchannel pic.twitter.com/UZfuVAGvH1

— Scot Pilié (@ScotPilie_Wx) July 18, 2022

Americans: why don't you get air conditioning, stupid Brits?Me: thanks, I'll just get my tiny 100 year old house fitted with aircon with all my spare thousands of pounds for just three days of the year, shall I? pic.twitter.com/RM91jW3x8v

— Shambolic Neutral 👩‍💻🦖 KPSS 💙💛 (@BradfemlyWalsh) July 16, 2022

I know some of us in Singapore are wondering why people in the UK are freaking out over 30+°C temperatures and calling it a heatwave.But bear in mind that their homes are designed to keep heat in.Not like ours, designed to keep heat out. Also we got aircon in homes.

— mrbrown (@mrbrown) July 18, 2022

This heat wave is not just in Western Europe, however. In North Africa and Asia, extreme heat is also pummeling people who don’t have air conditioning.

This extreme weather, a result of the climate crisis, may also interfere with agriculture. Further, it looks to be increasingly normal. Last year and 2019 also saw record-breaking heat waves in this part of the world, as well as forest fires.

In summer 2022, heatwaves around the world felled records and fueled wildfires as temperatures climbed above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). https://t.co/nC67K3sekq pic.twitter.com/WlyLFi9VHm

— NASA Earth (@NASAEarth) July 15, 2022

british people struggling in this heat wave… stay strong… your ancestors colonized entire countries in this heat 💕💕💕

— Panic! At the Discourse (@kinjaldave7) July 17, 2022

A viral tweet from a “genuine Australian” offered advice to English people facing the heat while
Americans online expressed deep concern about the flaws of the Celsius system.

I am a genuine Australian, here is some advice regarding dealing with the heat that's heading to England… if you have no aircon.

— Dr Ellie Mackin Roberts (@EllieMRoberts) July 16, 2022

By the way, to other members of the Anglophone world curious about a new way to abbreviate “air conditioning,” don’t be afraid to ask an American in your life. Believe it or not, there’s a better option than “aircon.”

— willy 🌜💧 (@willystaley) July 17, 2022

Celsius is ridiculous. "40" simply isn't a big enough number to convey how hot that is. Europeans need to get real, this is a crisis.

— willy 🌜💧 (@willystaley) July 15, 2022

Many compared the current heatwave to the famous 1976 heat wave, with some older posters arguing that '76 was worse and young people should get over themselves. Others then pushed back.

“Ooh, I remember the heatwave of ‘76 it was great, didn’t do me any harm!” Yes it did. It turned you into a cunt.

— Kath 🇺🇦💙🙀❄️🇪🇺✊🏾 (@KathyBurke) July 16, 2022

As weather patterns continue to change and disrupt lives, get ready for more memes made by people grappling with the new normal and Americans and Europeans arguing over who uses the more rational method of measuring temperature.