Record high temperatures across Great Britain have accelerated sales of fans and portable air conditioning units around the island as temperatures approaching 100 degrees Fahrenheit sizzle the normally temperate nation, the New York Times reports.
Unlike Texas, where an outdated and overloaded electrical grid risks a breakdown if someone uses a hair dryer, England’s utility operator reassured Britons that their power grids can handle the excess usage, where most homes do not have whole-home air conditioning units.
The all-time high temperature in the UK is 38.7°C, or 102°F, set in Cambridge in July 2019. Forecasts for London on Tuesday predict a high of 102°F. Britons have been fleeing to beaches and seaside resorts in effort to find cooler climes.
Stores report that they’re running out of cooling equipment like fans and portable air conditions. A 2021 survey of home found just 5% of homes had built-in units, so many residents have had to scurry to locate a constantly-shrinking supply of equipment.
“As the U.K. heat wave continues, the nation is going to lengthy measures to keep cool from the rising temperatures, splashing out on all sorts of products in the last few weeks, including fans,” said Lara Brittain, an appliances expert at Currys, the largest electronics retailer in Britain.
A spokesperson for John Lewis, the largest department store chain in England, said sales of fans and AC units were up 350% from last year.