‘A London heatwave is so much worse than Australia – I’m dreading the Tube’

London is set to experience a heatwave over the next few days, and that means Londoners will be bracing themselves for uncomfortable heat

Bank Holiday weekend is set to be a scorcher. Temperatures are set to hit 33C on Monday (May 25), with Londoners preparing themselves to enjoy beer gardens and the park for the entire weekend.

And we deserve it. After months of shocking weather, these sunny days didn’t seem possible. Now, we are getting heatwave warnings, which is a sight to behold (and also concerning). Yet, why am I also dreading these high temperatures? This isn’t a story to complain about, but more so to point out my biggest gripe about London, and I think by the end of it, you’ll understand.

London isn’t cut out for the heat at all. Our buildings retain heat rather than letting it escape. Walking down escalators towards the Central line is a horror movie waiting to begin, and the lack of breeze completely suffocates you at night.

I was scrolling through Reddit when I saw the topic that inspired me to write this: ‘What’s the breaking point for heat in the UK?’ When does it stop being fun?’ And for me, that’s when it hits 28C or higher. The heat becomes unbearable, and I don’t want to complain, but it’s impossible not to. It might also be a stereotypical Londoner thing to preemptively complain about a heatwave.

Comparing the heat to living in Australia, it feels completely different. 25C in London, compared to Australia, is a night-and-day difference. That coastal breeze and the fact that most buildings are equipped with air conditioning make coping with the heat much more bearable. On top of it, you can simply go for a swim to cool off if needed.

I’m not saying the heat in Sydney and Perth wasn’t at times obscene, with temperatures hitting crazy heights. One Christmas in Perth, I experienced a 40C Christmas, which was an experience in itself. Not one I’d recommend doing, but they are prepared for it. You will not leave the comforts of your air-conditioned home unless necessary.

In London now, it feels like you are stuck in a constant loop of heat. Getting on the Tube will have you rethinking all your life decisions, and whether walking from Stratford to Bank makes more sense than hopping on the dreaded Central line. The Victoria line was actually recorded as being the hottest line in 2025. It feels as if you are walking into a furnace.

Walking through the city, surrounded by skyscrapers that reflect the heat, coupled with the cars and emissions, it feels as if you are in a heat vortex, with no relief in sight.

Public transport might be the worst of the lot. Cramped in, shoulder to shoulder, with someone who has decided not to put on any deodorant while you slip and slide past each other? What a horrible, horrible life-decision.

Then, on top of everything, you go to bed, and it is still absolutely boiling. You toss and turn all night, the open window offers no solace, and the breeze you wish would come is a figment of your imagination.

Overall, one must remain grateful because when it was cold and raining, I, too, was also complaining. I guess that’s the nature of the beast, as they say; Londoners are never happy. A sunny Bank Holiday is certainly a rarity, so I am grateful but fearful in equal measure.