If you can’t beat the heat…
Published 6:45 pm Wednesday, June 4, 2014
March is supposed to come in like a lion and out like a lamb. April showers are supposed to bring May flowers.
These are two adages written long ago, before humanity had any sort of grasp on global warming and climate change. This week, President Barack Obama introduced a new coal emissions regulation, a small but significant step in fixing our environment.
Legislation aside, our seasons are becoming unrecognizable. It has never been more obvious.
Look back upon the freak weather patterns that graced our eastern North Carolina countryside this “spring.” Temperatures were erratically low, dumping snow later into the year, severe weather high and the climate as a whole was pretty unpredictable.
If you happened to leave the office for your lunch break yesterday, weather was likely the first thing you thought of when you stepped out the door. The low 60s you may have experienced the previous night gave way to temperatures in the mid-90s, stifling heat.
If there was any question of when pool season starts, yesterday’s weather certainly answered it. That being said, Daily News sports editor Dave Cucchiara seems to be taking on a new complexion … red. From an atmospheric perspective, spring is gone (if it ever really existed) and it’s time to think logically when battling the summer elements.
For one, buy some sunblock. Yes, you’ve probably been putting this off for quite some time now, but there’s nothing worse than the feeling of a sunburned back up against the back of a chair.
Secondly, stay hydrated. It’s recommended that you drink at least two liters of water a day. That’s a lot of water and for some the mark may not be as reachable as, say, drinking your habitual can of soda with lunch. However, make sure you’re at least drying to stay hydrated.
Finally, use common sense. A 95-degree day is not good beach weather, not matter how resistant to sunburn you think you may be.
Above all else, enjoy the warmth while it lasts because before you know it, it’ll be cold again. With the ever-changing climate, that might come sooner than later.