Beating the Heat

Vermont has largely been spared from the heat that has been affecting Europe and much of the rest of North America, but it seems summer has finally caught up with us. I hate the heat. It’s one of the reasons I love living in Vermont. I’d much rather be cold than hot and sweaty.

There’s an old saying among people who dislike hot weather: “You can always put on enough clothes to stay warm, but you can’t (legally) take off enough clothes to stay cool.” That’s only partly true in Vermont. Public nudity is actually legal here unless a municipality has an ordinance prohibiting it. Of course, just because you can doesn’t mean you should. Besides, I think my neighbors would much rather see me fully clothed. The real Vermont solution is to head for the cold waters of Lake Champlain or one of our many beautiful mountain lakes, ponds, or rivers. Even on the hottest days, they’ll cool you off a lot faster than taking your clothes off.

Today’s forecast calls for a high of 96° in Burlington, with temperatures expected to reach 100° tomorrow. Add in the humidity, and the heat index—the “feels like” temperature—could range from 95° to 110° across parts of Vermont. That’s a level of heat we’re simply not accustomed to.

When I first moved to Vermont, I didn’t have an air conditioner, and those occasional hot spells could be downright miserable. I remember taking cold showers just to cool off enough to fall asleep. Thankfully, I have air conditioners now. I’m also grateful that I work in a climate-controlled museum, so I can spend much of the day somewhere cool, even when it’s sweltering outside.

If you’re dealing with this heat wave, stay hydrated, stay in the shade or air conditioning when you can, and most importantly, stay cool, everybody!

😎