How about that weather – are you melting?

Posted

Those lazy days of summer really are hazy this year.  Seems like we’ve been suffering with the infamous Triple H – hazy, hot and humid – for days now. And while I’m not usually one to kvetch about the weather, I’m cutting myself some slack today. 

My home office has air conditioning. But it’s at the end of the line, so to speak, and the AC that reaches me at the computer is cool, not cold. I’ve got a small fan aimed at my shoulders. Our kitten had minor surgery several days ago. She’s recovering nicely, thank you. But all she wants to do is sleep in my lap. So I have a furry bundle of fluff acting like a blanket across my legs. Normally, this is a good thing. Today? Not so much.

I could also do without those nasty night-time thunderstorms that have been rolling through, adding to the humidity. Some people like a good thunderstorm. I am solidly not in that camp. 

Why prolong our agony by writing a column on the weather? After all, we all know how hot it’s been. But here’s the thing: The last time I allowed myself to write a weather-related column was at the beginning of February. We were in the midst of a mild winter – one snowfall and temperatures in the 40s. Not even a week later, temperatures had plummeted. Snow started falling. We still ended up with a fairly mild winter, but the irony of that quick change in the weather as soon as I wrote about it was not lost on those around me.

So here goes. Perhaps we’ll see a break in the weather! I hope so. 

For now, I can only focus on the statistics. We didn’t officially make it to a heat wave during this last stretch of stultifying weather, which would take at least three 90-degree-plus days in a row recorded at T.F. Green airport. Hard to believe, but it didn’t make it to 90 on Aug. 13 – only 89 at the airport, although it certainly reached 90 in other parts of Rhode Island. 

From Aug. 7-13, we had six days of temperatures 86 degrees or higher. That’s during a time when, according to weather records, our average temperatures historically start to decrease from an average of 83 degrees. (Officially, July 25 is the peak of summer heat, with an average high of 83, then our average high temperature gradually drops, falling to 78 by Aug. 31.)

How are people coping? The streets are certainly emptier than usual, while beaches are packed and restaurants are crowded. Electric bills are soaring as we try to keep cool. And the heat advisories have caused events to be cancelled. Aug. 13’s Providence Flea suffered that fate. A little unusual.

But, as usual, September is around the corner, bringing cooler temperatures, the gorgeous colors of a New England fall, and, just as surely, The Voice’s annual Guide to Jewish Living. 

The guide is going to press soon, and we want to make sure all things Jewish are included in the publication. If you are part of a Jewish organization or business and you haven’t connected with us for an ad or listing, please call us at 401-421-4111. You can also email editor@jewishallianceri.org. Unsure about whether you should be in the guide? Contact us and we can talk it over.

This year’s guide will be online, too, so no matter the weather outside, you’ll have this valuable resource at your fingertips all year long.