Hot. Hotter. And hottest.
First it was 103. Then 106. Today, 104.
Wednesday’s forecast of a high of 93 looks absolutely delightful.
The extreme heat gripping Atlanta and other cities across the Midwestern and Eastern United States has been deemed dangerous, especially for people without air-conditioning.
I heard a woman on the radio this morning who said the temperature in her house had risen to 95.
Made me think of my parents flat in India. On an early May day, before the monsoons had arrived, the temperature read 101 in my room. It was nothing unusual in Kolkata, where temperatures can climb to above 40 degrees celsius (in the 100s in fahrenheit) quite regularly. At least in my room, there was a ceiling fan whirring so fast that I’d get dizzy watching the blades.
I suppose we all get used to things. My niece, a born and bred Canadian, could walk through snow in sandals and think nothing of it. Some of my friends in Kolkata cannot even imagine what it feels like to have frozen stuff fall from the sky. Or how people up North make fun of us Southerners for not knowing how to navigate icy roads. And how we in turn feel no pity for them in summer sizzle.
I am usually thankful to live in Atlanta, where extreme weather is a rarity. But this weekend, I am staying inside. Glad to be reading the Sunday New York Times, watching the Euro finals and cooking dinner — all in the comfort of air-conditioning.
Guess that Indian tolerance to heat has finally worn off.
First it was 103. Then 106. Today, 104.
Wednesday’s forecast of a high of 93 looks absolutely delightful.
The extreme heat gripping Atlanta and other cities across the Midwestern and Eastern United States has been deemed dangerous, especially for people without air-conditioning.
I heard a woman on the radio this morning who said the temperature in her house had risen to 95.
Made me think of my parents flat in India. On an early May day, before the monsoons had arrived, the temperature read 101 in my room. It was nothing unusual in Kolkata, where temperatures can climb to above 40 degrees celsius (in the 100s in fahrenheit) quite regularly. At least in my room, there was a ceiling fan whirring so fast that I’d get dizzy watching the blades.
I suppose we all get used to things. My niece, a born and bred Canadian, could walk through snow in sandals and think nothing of it. Some of my friends in Kolkata cannot even imagine what it feels like to have frozen stuff fall from the sky. Or how people up North make fun of us Southerners for not knowing how to navigate icy roads. And how we in turn feel no pity for them in summer sizzle.
I am usually thankful to live in Atlanta, where extreme weather is a rarity. But this weekend, I am staying inside. Glad to be reading the Sunday New York Times, watching the Euro finals and cooking dinner — all in the comfort of air-conditioning.
Guess that Indian tolerance to heat has finally worn off.
