‘Not the hot girl summer I wanted’: Social media reacts to heatwave

The UK’s hottest day on record is expected to be surpassed twice in the next two days, with the Met Office warning temperatures could hit 43C.

The chief executive of the Met Office confirmed “we may well see the hottest day in the UK in history” on Monday. But Tuesday is expected to be even warmer, with some forecasts estimating highs of 43C – well above the previous record of 38.7C, recorded in 2019.

People have been advised not to travel on public transport unless “absolutely necessary” as services will be reduced due to the heatwave, while many schools have sent students home early in a bid to cope with the extreme temperature.

As Britons struggle to adapt to the extreme heat, people around the country have taken to social media to share their views.

“Contacting a boy I dated when I was a teen to see if he can gaslight me into believing I’m cold rn,” wrote one Twitter user, while another wrote: “The sun is moving like patriarchy in the UK. All consuming and everywhere - just heat.”

Another quipped: “If you spot a puddle of fake tan and melted rocket ice-lollies, please know that is my final resting place”, while one person wrote: “This isn’t the hot girl summer I wanted.”

As well as very valid concerns for pets and children in the extreme heat, one person flagged the welfare of another vulnerable group: “Climate change is going to wipe out all the goths. Stay strong my friends”.

Elsewhere, someone shared an extremely relatable clip from comedy series The Inbetweeners, which spoke to what many Britons are feeling today.

And RuPaul’s Drag Race UK shared an image of The Vivienne with the caption: “Category is: perspiration”.

Despite the rocketing temperatures, the Met Office has said that temperatures will ease from Wednesday onwards, although experts have warned that such intense summer heat will become a more common part of life in the UK in future, endangering life.

Professor Hannah Cloke, a natural hazards researcher at the University of Reading, said: “Severe heat waves are a problem that’s not going away — and they will get worse.”