I saw Northern Europe was unseasonably hot last week. Now it’s our turn. We live in the Judean Mountains about 18km south of Jerusalem. We’re also a little over 900 meters above sea level, and usually quite dry. Tel Aviv, on the coast of the Mediterranean, is very humid. When they have temperatures of 30 degrees Celsius and above they REALLY feel the heat. For us, however, 30 is hot, but not too uncomfortable.
Yesterday the thermometer hit 38 (That’s about 100 degrees Fahrenheit, for those reading this in North America). Today the expected high is 40. I definitely felt the heat when I took our dogs out for a very short walk. This time, I ran two full loads of laundry (that means the clothesline outside was full) and each one was dry within a relatively short time. I can’t say the concrete sidewalk was hot enough to cook an egg, but I was not prepared to hold on to the metal frame of our gate for more than a few seconds. I even surmised that a longer contact might leave me with a third degree burn.
It’s important in hot weather like this to dress appropriately. I always wear a hat, and cover most of my body with loose fitting garments. If you walk in the for any period of time the risk of getting sunburn on exposed skin is great. Also, you must drink. Failure to take in fluids raises the chances of getting heat exhaustion considerably. There actually two kinds of danger from longer exposure to the heat; heat exhaustion and sunstroke. They’re quite different one from the other. Both can be avoided by drinking. A few sips at a time is best. Staying in the shade and dressing properly also help. There’s a good reason why the Bedouin wear long. loose fitting, flowing robes. Their skin is covered, and air can circulate freely when they walk.
The forecast is for a brief respite in the really oppressive heat on Wednesday and/or Thursday. But after that we expect another, longer, period of temperatures hovering near 40. Our electric bill will probably be higher next month because we are using our air conditioners and fans more.
Wetherhorn 