What are you looking forward to this summer?

[Grandpa]

This is a Northern Hemisphere question.

For me, SSDD. Today, 6/1 (in this part of the world), the emphasis is on the second S. It's a big steaming pile of Monday.

 

[hossenpepper]

What you may not know about living in Florida is that summer is our winter. Most people that live here stay inside most of the time during the summer. It's very hot and humid here. But the real danger is the sun. Decades of exposing yourself to the sun here is very bad for you. Plus, it typically rains almost every day for at least a bit during the afternoon which can make outdoor plans difficult. The other bad thing is the power bill during summer. It skyrockets here. So summer, isn't so wonderful here. The spring and fall are awesome though and the winter rocks.

 

[Spideyman]

What you may not know about living in Florida is that summer is our winter. Most people that live here stay inside most of the time during the summer. It's very hot and humid here. But the real danger is the sun. Decades of exposing yourself to the sun here is very bad for you. Plus, it typically rains almost every day for at least a bit during the afternoon which can make outdoor plans difficult. The other bad thing is the power bill during summer. It skyrockets here. So summer, isn't so wonderful here. The spring and fall are awesome though and the winter rocks.

Had to smile at that one. Northern rain, is not southern rain. I've forgotten the enjoyment of walking in a drizzle of rain. Instead, In Fl one dashes for cover due to lightning strikes and earth shaking thunder of a torrenial daily storm.
Totally agree that winter rocks and spring and fall are awesome.

 

[Moderator]

As much as I hate cold and snow, there's no way I'd trade it to have to live in the kind of humidity you Southern folks deal with in the summer. Having to go from air conditioned house, to air conditioned car, to air conditioned wherever you were going and not be able to enjoy the outdoors wouldn't be worth it. I do have to remind myself of that around the middle of January and February when it's minus 20 or 30 or we're in the middle of a blizzard.

 

[doowopgirl]

Hoping to actually having one. Today has been wet and stormy all day. Yesterday wasn't much better. At any rate I work a school schedule so not getting up early and running out the house early. Also being able to ignore bad weather I don't have to go out in.

 

[cat in a bag]

As much as I hate cold and snow, there's no way I'd trade it to have to live in the kind of humidity you Southern folks deal with in the summer. Having to go from air conditioned house, to air conditioned car, to air conditioned wherever you were going and not be able to enjoy the outdoors wouldn't be worth it. I do have to remind myself of that around the middle of January and February when it's minus 20 or 30 or we're in the middle of a blizzard.

Amen! Me too. We haven't been very warm yet, but the humidity these last couple days has been terrible, and even with temps in the 70s, it is enough to make a person wilt. I wouldn't make it in the south in summertime.

 

[Grandpa]

We've had rain nearly every day. Very unseasonal for us. I'm not complaining because we're a semi-arid state, and it's nice to get the reservoirs charged.

But if one cares about lawn care, that's another matter. Consistent rain isn't the right environment for cutting down grass. It doesn't take long to start looking like a jungle.

Yesterday was a nice sunny, warm day, nearly perfect, so after giving the yard till the afternoon to dry out, I cranked the mower and started pushing. Then, as can happen so quickly here, the clouds build. Crash, bang. Water drops start falling. I was halfway done, and I wasn't going to let some practical joke by Nature stop me, so I kept pushing.

After I finished and came in a bit on the damp side, Grandma said I looked cute out there, mowing in the rain. I think "cute" may have been code.

 

[PatInTheHat]

...going downtown to look for a job and then hanging out in front of the drug store....

Jeez man, I keep tellin' ya, just go in a tell 'em you want to buy 'protection', the guy behind the counter will know what you mean and he won't call your folks, ain't gotta wait for some wino to get 'em for ya

 

[Spideyman]

We've had rain nearly every day. Very unseasonal for us. I'm not complaining because we're a semi-arid state, and it's nice to get the reservoirs charged.

But if one cares about lawn care, that's another matter. Consistent rain isn't the right environment for cutting down grass. It doesn't take long to start looking like a jungle.

Yesterday was a nice sunny, warm day, nearly perfect, so after giving the yard till the afternoon to dry out, I cranked the mower and started pushing. Then, as can happen so quickly here, the clouds build. Crash, bang. Water drops start falling. I was halfway done, and I wasn't going to let some practical joke by Nature stop me, so I kept pushing.

After I finished and came in a bit on the damp side, Grandma said I looked cute out there, mowing in the rain. I think "cute" may have been code.

When the summer rain pattern sets up, you can mow on Monday, watch that afternoon/ evening storms roll in. Same with Tuesday and Wednesday. Then you ask yourself-- why does the grass need mowing again. I actually have to write down on a calendar when I mow, to prove I'm not going nuts at the grass growth rate!
oh, and no mowing in the rain-- those lightning bolts kill.
I have seen people was "headlights" on their mowers so they can mow after dark!!

 

[GNTLGNT]

Had to smile at that one. Northern rain, is not southern rain. I've forgotten the enjoyment of walking in a drizzle of rain. Instead, In Fl one dashes for cover due to lightning strikes and earth shaking thunder of a torrenial daily storm.
Totally agree that winter rocks and spring and fall are awesome.

...what cracks me up are the people who are at the beach or around a pool that dash for cover when it starts to rain....REALLY?????.....

 

[GNTLGNT]

Jeez man, I keep tellin' ya, just go in a tell 'em you want to buy 'protection', the guy behind the counter will know what you mean and he won't call your folks, ain't gotta wait for some wino to get 'em for ya

...the druggist will sell me a gun?...COOL..."gimmee a Glock and a dozen of your finest Percocets my good man!"....

 

[hossenpepper]

As much as I hate cold and snow, there's no way I'd trade it to have to live in the kind of humidity you Southern folks deal with in the summer. Having to go from air conditioned house, to air conditioned car, to air conditioned wherever you were going and not be able to enjoy the outdoors wouldn't be worth it. I do have to remind myself of that around the middle of January and February when it's minus 20 or 30 or we're in the middle of a blizzard.

Yeah, but you're talking about 3 months of the year. We get 9 months that are awesome. Our fall and spring are like your summer up there, but we get 6 months of that. The winter can cool off, but there have been days during the winter that I call "no weather" where it is so perfect you can't even feel the air on your skin.

If you want your mind blown with weather, though, try northern Georgia in early October. I can't say I've ever experienced anything like that anywhere. Amazing.

 

[hossenpepper]

...what cracks me up are the people who are at the beach or around a pool that dash for cover when it starts to rain....REALLY?????.....

Lightning, Giant. It's no joke down here. If it starts cracking down here, get in side. People get killed here somewhat regularly.

 

[GNTLGNT]

Lightning, Giant. It's no joke down here. If it starts cracking down here, get in side. People get killed here somewhat regularly.

...I understand the fatal electricity factor...this is from when I have vacationed in the area and a light rain comes up....

 

[Grandpa]

When I'm in Florida or Georgia or Nawlins, I can't tell a light rain from their normal air.

 

[hossenpepper]

...I understand the fatal electricity factor...this is from when I have vacationed in the area and a light rain comes up....

They train you to fear it... It's in the "So You Think You Wanna be a Floridian" manual. It's in the chapter after the one about Cubans and before the one about the smell...

 

[Spideyman]

...what cracks me up are the people who are at the beach or around a pool that dash for cover when it starts to rain....REALLY?????.....

Rule in Fl- if thunder roars, go indoors.

Lightning is also dangerous because it can strike more than 10 miles away from where it is raining. Due to different winds in place near the top of the storm, lightning generated from the top of the thunderstorm can be displaced more than 10 miles away from the storm base, where it is raining. It is these lightning strikes that seemingly come from the “clear blue sky”. These “Bolts from the Blue” can be more dangerous since, as it is not raining in the immediate area, they can catch people off-guard.

 

[hossenpepper]

When I'm in Florida or Georgia or Nawlins, I can't tell a light rain from their normal air.

You really do get used to it. It takes a good 5 years, but you do. So when you go a place that is relatively dry like Colorado, it feels even more mild to you. I can still take the cold somewhat, but my blood has certainly thinned over the last decade+.

 

[hossenpepper]

Rule in Fl- if thunder roars, go indoors.

Lightning is also dangerous because it can strike more than 10 miles away from where it is raining. Due to different winds in place near the top of the storm, lightning generated from the top of the thunderstorm can be displaced more than 10 miles away from the storm base, where it is raining. It is these lightning strikes that seemingly come from the “clear blue sky”. These “Bolts from the Blue” can be more dangerous since, as it is not raining in the immediate area, they can catch people off-guard.

Lightning kills more people in Florida than any other weather phenomenon. - tribunedigital-orlandosentinel

Someone just recently got hit here in Pinellas. Saw it on the news.

 

[Grandpa]

You really do get used to it. It takes a good 5 years, but you do. So when you go a place that is relatively dry like Colorado, it feels even more mild to you. I can still take the cold somewhat, but my blood has certainly thinned over the last decade+.

Some just find their acclimation. I found mine. I grew up in Illinois, which ain't the South, but it could get pretty darn humid. I never liked it, not as a kid, teenager, young adult. Moved to Southern California, loved it. Moved to a subtropical island, it was oppressive. Moved to Colorado, loved it. I'm just a dry-air guy.

There will be times throughout the year in Colorado where it's so crisp, so pleasant, that all you can do is be grateful for another perfect day.