One of our community’s weather forecasters recently unveiled his summer forecast for the region. His track record for predicting the weather in three month increments is uncannily accurate, especially over the past year when he predicted a cooler than normal summer 2009, and a surfeit of precipitation during October of the same year. This summer, the prognosticator believes we will return to a sense of summer normalcy. That is, be ready for scorching heat and oppressive humidity. As he signed off his half hour prediction special, the weather guru left us with one admonishment: “This will be a summer to find things to so inside.”
Since his acumen is predicting weather, the forecaster did not offer any suggestions for indoor activities this summer. However, from my experience living in the summer inferno, I have found the following places to be excellent refuges from the blazing sun.
Movie Theaters
Outside of the Christmas holiday, summer is the movie theater industry’s busiest season. In addition to school age patrons, many more escape unbearable heat by taking a seat inside of cool, almost chilly, theaters to watch one of the many summer releases. During an extremely deadly heat wave in 1980, I spent over twelve hours bouncing from movie screen to movie screen inside the same theater complex just so I could beat the heat.
Watch at Home
Would you like to beat the heat and save a little money? Assemble a DVD library and take advantage of your collection at home during a heat wave. Refreshments will be cheaper and you can lounge in your favorite recliner chair. You most likely run the air conditioning while you are away from home. Why not utilize what you pay for? Moreover, you do not have to deal with the talkative teen in front of you or the sneeze machine sitting on your immediate left or right.
Swimming Pools
Public and private swimming pools offer a respite from the searing heat. A long jaunt in the pool helps cool your body. Even a slight breeze is nature’s way of evaporating the water clinging to your body, which provides a subtle cooling effect. Swimming pools give parents the opportunity to get out of the house and avoid summer’s version of cabin fever.
Libraries
Libraries typically increase their senior and adolescent education programs during the summer. However, libraries provide an excellent way to beat the heat for people of all ages. Heat waves are opportunities to work on that long neglected research project, catch up on your favorite author, or listen to some of your favorite tunes. Libraries open in mid-morning and generally stay open during the week until nine at night. A lengthy heat wave gives you the chance to read more than you have in a long time.
Malls
Oppressive heat means the sounds of clinging cash registers for stores anchored in shopping malls. While retail outlets once dominated shopping mall real estate, restaurants and entertainment venues are increasingly becoming part of a mall’s revenue mix. Movie theaters (see above) also have opened either within or adjoining some shopping malls. You can make a full day of it in most air conditioned shopping malls.
The summer of 2010 promises to set high temperature records throughout the country. Texas is currently melting under a heat wave that appears to be gradually shifting northward into the Midwest and Ohio Valley. NOAA’s long range forecast validates our community’s sage weatherman, so now is a good time to contemplate where you plan to be the summer heat of 2010.
