UK declares heatwave at 26 degree Celsius, Indians react: 'My AC temperature'

United Kingdom's recent announcement of a heatwave alert at a mere 26 degrees Celsius by the end of June triggered a flurry of reactions from Indians.

India's notoriously high summer temperatures, often surpassing 40 degrees Celsius, have accustomed its residents to endure extreme heat. The peak summer months, characterised by Delhi's blistering heat and Mumbai's oppressive humidity, are anything but pleasant. In stark contrast, the United Kingdom's recent announcement of a heatwave alert at a mere 26 degrees Celsius by the end of June has left Indians highly amused, triggering a flurry of witty responses on social media.

The UK-based outlet, The Mirror, took to X (formerly Twitter) to report, "UK to be blasted by 48-hour 26C heatwave with five cities in England the hottest," sharing a link to the full report.

The post quickly went viral, attracting numerous comments from Indian users.

"That is just two degrees above the default air conditioning setting in India. A pleasant weather it seems," IFS officer Parveen Kaswan remarked.

That is just two degrees above than default Air Condition setting in India. A pleasant weather it seems. https://t.co/WDOTINrRel

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— Parveen Kaswan (@ParveenKaswan) June 16, 2024

Another user added, "Mumbaikars call it winter."

My AC is currently set at UK heatwave level pic.twitter.com/zOd70tRcch — Gabbar (@GabbbarSingh) June 16, 2024

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— Bhagath bhim (@bheembagath) June 16, 2024

"Delhiites surviving in its double in summer and 26 in winter, weak people," another commented.

"This is AC temperature in India," another X user quipped.

"Laughter echoes across all of North India," one person wrote.

Another user humorously noted, "My AC is currently set at UK heatwave level."

One person wrote, "UK has announced 26C as a heatwave. How did these people manage to come to India and rule us in our weather?"

UK has announced 26C as a heatwave. How did these people manage to come to India and rule us in our weather? — Aman (@AmanHasNoName_2) June 16, 2024

However, some users highlighted the differences between the climates. "Our homes in the UK are insulated, and there are no ceiling fans or AC. If it goes beyond 25 degrees, it’s almost impossible to sleep at night," one user explained. Another pointed out, "26 degrees in the UK feels more like 40-42 degrees. It’s not comparable to Mumbai’s weather."

It is not. I used to think the same until I visited UK. 24 in UK is as hot as 37-38 in India. It is not about the absolute temperature but rather how the sun beats down. 27 is heatwave in UK with Indian standards too.

— Monkwithoutferrari (@Monkwithoutfer1) June 16, 2024

India experienced multiple intenseand prolonged heatwaves in April and May, testing the limits of human endurance and the country's disaster preparedness. Several states, including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Odisha, reported heatwave-related deaths, according to news agency PTI.

According to data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), 14 out of the 36 sub-divisions in the country recorded over 15 heatwave days (when the maximum temperature is at least 40 degrees Celsius and 4.5 degrees above normal) from March 1 to June 9. The heatwave in May saw numerous places across the country, including the hills of Assam, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Arunachal Pradesh, recording all-time high temperatures. The mercury breached 50 degrees Celsius in Rajasthan and even went up to 52 degree in Delhi.