Due to climate change, summers are changing. People today are facing more frequent, longer-lasting, and hotter heat waves than they did before. Not only does it mean that individuals are getting increasingly sweaty and need to crank up the air conditioning more often, but it also poses major and even deadly health threats.
To show that extreme temperatures are no joke, our team at Bored Panda has compiled yet another list of striking photos of how heat waves affect every living creature and our surroundings. Scroll down to see how people are desperately trying to cope with such brutal weather, and be sure to share some useful tips you know for combating heat with others down below!
While you're at it, don't forget to check out a conversation with medical expert Dr. Nicole Levine, MD, from Health Strive, who kindly shared some precautions that people should stick to in extreme heat.
#1 Stores In Turkey Open Their Doors To Stray Dogs To Escape Extreme Heat. There Is Also One On The Stairs That You Can't See Well
Image credits: bzafs
#2 Rolled Up To My Parents' House To Find Them Giving Away Free Water For People And Their Dogs In The Excessive Heatwave In America. I’m Proud To Be Their Daughter
Image credits: endlesseffervescense
#3 Another Hot Summer Day In London
Image credits: SalimHathbul
Even though heat waves are among the most dangerous natural hazards, they rarely receive adequate attention as their consequences aren’t immediately visible.
“From my experience, people often downplay heat wave risks,” says medical expert Dr. Nicole Levine, MD, from Health Strive. “Possible consequences are severe dehydration, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke. These conditions can lead to serious health complications, including organ damage or even death.”
#4 A Very Hot Day Today In The Center Of Rovaniemi In North Finland (Afternoon The Meter Was Showing +32°C). At The Beach, People Weren´t The Only Ones, Who Needed A Little Cooling
These are reindeer, the domesticated versions of caribous found in North America. They roam free in most areas around North Finland.
Image credits: Pekka Niinivaara
#5 The Heat Has Them Lined Up For Water Today
Image credits: spudseyes
#6 Maybe A Wax Lincoln Sculpture Wasn’t The Best Idea During DC’s First Week Of Summer Heat
Image credits: kirk_bado
One study found that from 2000 to 2019, almost half a million people died each year from extremely hot temperatures. This year (2024), the planet had its hottest day in at least eight decades and broke the record again on July 22.
#7 117 Degrees In Arizona Today. Melted The Blinds In My House
Image credits: DeliciousKing99
#8 It's So Hot That My Rear-View Mirror Is Sliding Down The Windshield
Image credits: Hollowolf15
#9 My Pens Are Melting
Image credits: maddog18476
Such brutal weather conditions resulted in severe water shortages and dozens of deaths in Mexico and Central America. In Pakistan, hospitals were overwhelmed by the high heat, with frequent power outages and water shortages in some areas. Japan also issued heart-stroke alerts as temperatures reached record highs.
#10 Life Hack
Image credits: bndrvisuals
#11 This Bottle Of Sparkling Water I Left In My Truck All Day
Image credits: hedwaterboy
#12 Tales Of Heatwave Madness. The Floor Turned To Lava
Image credits: MoukiKoutouki
“In extreme heat waves, you should watch out for symptoms such as dizziness, excessive sweating, rapid heartbeat, nausea, confusion, and headaches,” says Dr. Levine to Bored Panda. “These symptoms could suggest heat exhaustion or heat stroke, both of which require immediate medical attention to prevent serious health complications.”
#13 During This Southern California Heatwave, My Local Grocery Store Has Coolers Filled With Complimentary Water Bottles At Each Entrance
Image credits: eddrriley
#14 This Guy In His Cooling Fan Jacket In 36-Degree Tokyo Heat
Image credits: uzi1102
#15 It's So Hot That Even Cadbury Blocks Need To Sit Down
Image credits: Ors1
Heat waves and their impact are much worse in the city, where the high temperatures are amplified by buildings, concrete parking lots, cars, and air conditioning units that radiate and emit heat long after the sun sets. The lack of trees and shade also greatly contributes to hotter city environments. This phenomenon is called the urban heat island effect and impacts 41 million people.
#16 It's Too Hot Outside
Image credits: reddit.com
#17 Sometimes, If The Heat Is High, Corn Can Be Infected By A Fungus That Causes The Kernels To Expand And Become The Delicious Delicacy Known As Huitlacoche
This is eaten, usually as a filling, in quesadillas and other tortilla-based foods and soups.
Image credits: GoldenChinchilla
#18 It's 102 Degrees In NJ Right Now, Just Saw Someone Putting Ice Water Bottles Out For People At My Train Station
Image credits: Cheddar18
That’s why it’s crucial for people, especially in urban areas, to take precautions during heatwaves. Dr. Levine recommends, “It is important to always keep your body cool and hydrated, wear lightweight and light-colored clothing, and avoid strenuous activities during peak heat hours (11 a.m. to 4 p.m.).
#19 My Son’s Watercolors Got Left In The Sun, And They Shrank Into Round Balls
Image credits: studteaing
#20 My Wife Is So Happy Her Contraption Worked After Leaving Her Flowers Alone For A Week In The 100-Degree Texas Heat
Image credits: K1D_Dynamite
#21 He Needed Sunglasses. My Neighbor's Dog Trying To Beat The Heat, And Sun. It's 91 Outside
Image credits: YZXFILE
It might be a good idea to limit your time in the sun in general, as sunburn reduces the body’s ability to release heat. To keep your home cooler, close the curtains during the hottest parts of the day and open the windows at night.
#22 Safe To Say This Is One Of My Favorite Customers, Greets Me Occasionally With Cold Water
Well, today he left three of them for me (two frozen)! Makes a world of difference in 97-degree weather... Thank you, sir!
The note says: "To mail lady or man. Thank you for delivering mail in such horrible heat! Stay hydrated and shaded when you can. Thank you!! 3 waters all yours."
Image credits: coopin05
#23 The Way The Sun Has Weathered This Sign, So It Looks Like Its Heavy Metal Style
Image credits: dave_wigwam
#24 Sun Through The Skylight Is A Direct Hit To The Record Player
Image credits: jordan_chez
Don’t forget that furry pets struggle in the heat too. Dogs that walk on the pavement should wear protection from the hot surface and have plenty of water in their bowls. Cooling pads and doggy pools are also great options for cooling down your companion. For more on that, you can check out our previous article, where an expert veterinarian provided additional precautions you can take to protect them.
#25 I Had To Let My Mom Borrow My Crocs Because Her Sandals Melted
Image credits: candydulce143
#26 We’re Cooked (Literally)
Image credits: Shiv_ansh_st
#27 We Are In A Terrible Heatwave. People Are Selling Used AC Units For $1000+ Online. Our Neighbors Just Installed Central Air So They Gave Us These Cooling Beauties
Image credits: a27j27k27
Lastly, we want to emphasize that high temperatures are no joke and can pose serious health threats, especially to more vulnerable groups of people like the elderly, pregnant women, children, and individuals struggling with heart conditions and other various illnesses. So be sure to be safe in this summer heat, and don’t forget to hydrate!
#28 A Pub In Loughborough Handing Out Free Ice Water In A UK Heatwave
Image credits: Impromptu_Bagel
#29 Candles Left Outside During A Heatwave
Image credits: FireSilicon
#30 Forgot The Dollar Store Air Horn In The Sun On The Dash Of My Truck
Image credits: mrstoness
#31 Burned Myself On My Seatbelt. Apparently, My Car Is 170 On The Dash Right Now
Image credits: TakeMyL
#32 Taco Bell Sign Melting In Phoenix, AZ
Image credits: jelkins9
#33 My Vitamin Gummies Melted In The Texas Heat During Transit, And It's Not Eligible For A Refund
I guess I'll get a spoon and chisel out a serving every day...
Image credits: AlloyComics
#34 This Is How Hot It Is In New Orleans
Image credits: kschwa7
#35 My Neighbors Have A Fan For Their Dog Because We Are Melting
Image credits: brainlessbach
#36 On Public Transport In Hot Weather, Take A USB Desk Fan. Most Buses Here Have USB Chargers For Phones. Plug It In, Turn It Upside Down, And Hang It On The Empty Seat In Front
Image credits: BloodAngel1982
#37 My Shoe Melted In My Room In The Summer Heat And, Now It Looks Like Caramel
Image credits: Beans_In_The_Dark
#38 It's Called An AZ Summer
Image credits: astridgalvan
#39 Apartment AC Went Out During The Recent Texas Heatwave And Management Doesn’t Want To Fix It
Image credits: emirrdz06
#40 Arizona Problems. Left My Credit Card In My Car, And It Melted
Image credits: nkemp1990
#41 This Heat Is Wicked
Image credits: AllontheBoard
#42 The Glass On Our Outdoor Furniture Just Spontaneously Shattered In The Heat
Image credits: fishcakes1979
#43 My Bottle Of Soft Gel Pills Melted Together In The Cupboard. They Are Now Impossible To Separate
Image credits: HooperHairPuff
#44 My AC Broke. We’re In A Heatwave Of 100°F For The Next Week. She Keeps Taking All The Air
Image credits: Successful-Snow-562
#45 It’s Supposed To Be 108 Degrees Today And This Was Sitting At An Intersection In My Neighborhood. Thank You, Neighbor, For Looking Out For All Of Us
Image credits: hoosermama1974
#46 Welcome To Australian Summer. Had To Pop My Hook In The Fridge Because The Handle Started To Get Soft From The Heat
Has anyone else had this problem? Had these for most of last year, but I guess they missed the heatwave (was 36°C here today - luckily not the 38°C it was meant to be)
Image credits: Tense_Spence
#47 So Hot Today That The Adhesive Holding My Dad's Phone Together Melted
Image credits: roffe001
#48 The Heat Today Baked The Pine Sap Out Of My Newly Painted Deck
Image credits: phantomjellybeans
#49 Sandals Melting In Heatwave
Image credits: Vedran Benić
#50 Trying To Frost A Cake In A Heatwave Feels Like That Scene From A Sleeping Beauty
Luckily, it turned out okay in the end, but there were many trips to the fridge and freezer along the way.
Image credits: Bottomisbest
#51 It's Currently 44 Degrees In Melbourne And This Tram Stop Has No Shade Wait In
Image credits: In_2006_I_was_an_emo
#52 It's Been So Hot That The Coconut Oil Has Liquefied
Image credits: ash811
#53 It's So Hot My AC Unit Is Sweating
Image credits: mordecai98
#54 Going Through A Heatwave And My Family Refuses To Turn On The AC
Their reasoning is that we'd have to shut all the windows, and it'd get hotter before it got colder. Which I understand. But please, for the love of God! I can stand some more unbearable heat if it means we get good coldness. It's only 3° hotter outside right now.
Image credits: RagingCUNextTuesday
#55 When Curtains Alone Won't Keep The Heat Out
Image credits: thedoctorx121
#56 California Is So Hot, That You Can Use Your Meat Thermometer To Check The Weather
Image credits: ryati
#57 Melbourne Heat Warped The Pavement Near A School
Image credits: Timmyisbored
#58 As Temperatures Reach Sweltering Heights, Families Cool Off In Keenjhar Lake In Thatta, Sindh On Sunday
Image credits: dawndotcom
#59 Las Vegas Heatwave Was No Joke... We Fried An Egg - Cooked In Less Than 10 Minutes
Took a piece of polished sheet metal to create a reflective surface, and angled it to direct sunlight (it's currently 105°F outside). After 8 minutes - the surface heat of the skillet reached 250°F, and the egg cooked in 2 minutes.
Image credits: johnnyzerocool
#60 It Was So Hot And Windy In Melbourne Recently That My Flower Planter Caught Fire
Image credits: malijour
#61 It Was So Hot Today That The Adhesive On My Neighbor's Side View Mirror Failed
Image credits: dandy36
#62 It Was So Hot Yesterday... Even My Shirt Was Feeling The Stress
Image credits: AltruisticAnteater72
#63 My Eraser Turned My Calculator’s Plastic To Goop After Leaving Them Together In My Pencil Case Over The Summer
Image credits: Queen_of_the_Beans
#64 Extreme Heat Melted Her Car Light
Image credits: sierraramos825
#65 It’s So Hot This Morning That The Light Posts Have Started To Sag
Image credits: Accurate-Response317
