And it’s back. The second official heatwave of the summer. They don’t issue warnings here if it’s under +35, so it’s not like it’s chilly when it’s not a heatwave. It’s just not extreme heat.
At first, it seemed quite reasonable. Warm, but not unusual. I thought perhaps it was because we are all now so used to the heat, being August and all. Or maybe because the sunlight hours are a tad shorter than they were for the June heatwave. The last few days, my morning rides have felt just peachy. Not too warm at all.
But as the day carried on, we all knew it was here for sure. My car said +49 when I got into it, and after driving a bit, it dropped to a comfortable +41. Currently, one of the weather stations is saying it’s +42.
Regardless of the exact numbers, I think it’s fair to say it’s very warm out. And it will stay this way for the next seven days. There is a big concern about fire as we haven’t had any rain in ages. I honestly can’t remember the last time. Plus, a little bit of wind. A perfect recipe for increased risk.
So what does one do? Well, you get out before it’s nuts (though it’s often already 30 degrees around 9 am). Still, that feels pretty good comparatively. Then there are things like endless cold drinks, watermelon, dips in pools, and afternoon siestas to keep you comfortable.
But before long, the nights will be cool again, the sun will rise later and set sooner, and we’ll be daydreaming for days like this. I like to stand in it and feel the intense heat envelope me, just soak it up, so I can remember when I am covered in layers of clothing, looking out to a snowscape. I’ll take an August heatwave over a snowy winter any day of the week.
