Bradford didn’t have too bad a summer, really, with some settled and sunny periods in June, followed by temperatures close to 30C in July.

However it’s some time since we had a real heatwave, with temperatures above 32C – 90F plus – that some of us fondly, and mistakenly, think was common in the past.

It’s sensible to be careful about what we wish for, because many other parts of the world would dearly love to have our summers – they don't kill us, they don’t lead to wild fires, and they don’t cause droughts. That’s unfortunately not the case in many other countries that have seen record temperatures, with record problems, in the first few years of this century. The roll call is instructive.

Since 2010, more than 30 countries have recorded new maximum temperature figures, and even the South Pole set a new high, though it was still below freezing. Recently all the continents have seen record-breaking heat waves, often weeks long.

2010 was the warmest year since records began, and the USA, Russia and Asia all suffered. In the United States, April to June was the hottest period on record anywhere in the northern hemisphere, with temperatures above 38C (100F), from New York to Los Angeles. The latter had a new record of 45C (113F).

In Russia, the high temperatures were matched by the number of forest fires and deaths from heat exhaustion – probably 15,000 more than normal. Dozens of towns had long periods with the temperatures above 40C (104F), each setting new record figures, while Moscow, on the same latitude as Newcastle, had 26 consecutive days above 30C (86F).

Away to the south, almost a third of Pakistan was flooded, and to rub it in a maximum temperature of 53.7C (129F), the highest ever in Asia, was recorded at Mohenjo-daro, just north of Karachi.

2011 wasn’t much cooler with more than 9,000 heat records in US cities. Houston had 16 days above 39C (102F), including a record night time minimum of 30C (86F), while Dallas had 40 days above 100F (38C).

In 2012 Chicago broke its highest temperature record nine days in a row, all above 39C, which is higher than the UK record, one day at 38.5, in Kent in 2003. In June it was 46C (115F) in Kansas, and places on the Arctic Circle had five consecutive days above 30C (86F).

Most recently, this year, Australia set new records with everywhere over 40C (104F), and parts over 50C (122F), Meanwhile Shanghai, in August, was 41C (105F) and 31C (88F) at night!

There’s no doubt the world is steadily warming, so thank goodness for the Scarborough sea frets.