We asked readers who live in the DMV and thrive in the heat to come forward and share what they appreciate about hot summers. Responses touched on feeling healthier, livelier and even nostalgic. Some readers submitted photos that screamed summer to them or tips to help those who prefer to stay cool.
Reader letters have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
‘I don’t mind sweating’
I love summer!! The pool and the beach are lots of fun for my family of four. The longer daylight hours tempt me to go outside much later than I would during the winter. Sunshine instead of cloudiness makes me happy. Oh, and the smell of sunscreen is amaaaaazing. I don’t mind sweating (most of the time). Snow is a pain … if you have to go anywhere/do anything. I also HATE my coat closet and entryway being full of hats, gloves, snowsuits and car scrapers with salt on my floor all winter long, not to mention getting ready takes longer because of having to have all of those items and put them on my children.
Tip: Find some activity you enjoy about summer and try to make that a weekly activity or part of your summer routine. Stay cool by wearing lighter, cooler clothing. I know it’s hot, but go outside. The vitamin D is good for you (still wear sunscreen!). If all else fails, be like my aunt and count down the days until the winter holiday season.
— Connie Wesley, 42, Frederick, Md.
‘Actual anger that it’s cooler here’
I loved the hot summers, and I miss them. I moved to Ocean Pines during the pandemic, and I always compare the temps here to Laurel, Md., where I lived before, and feel actual anger that it’s cooler here. I love the sweltering heat and the nights where being outside feels like walking into a sauna. Summer!!!
— Jackie Ward, 62, Ocean Pines (formerly Laurel), Md.
‘So much joy’
I love the hot weather because I teach outdoor aqua fitness classes, and these classes bring so much joy to the participants!
— Nancy Brouillette, 68, Rockville, Md.
‘Like a giant hug’
I spend all summer on my front porch — conducting meetings, facilitating writing circles, reading, making phone calls. I don’t want to miss any of it. People look at me sweating on Zoom and wonder why I don’t go inside to the air conditioning, but then I would miss the blazing sunshine, the cacophonous symphony of birds, the swelling cicada song.
There’s something about the extremeness of the season that I love. It’s like turning up the volume to the max. Plus, I don’t have to layer anything extra on my body to ward off chill. Maybe the heat and humidity feel like a giant hug.
Tip: I try to remember that soon this season will be over. It’s so fleeting. I know that when the tiger lily buds start to run out, that means summer is about halfway over. Without heat, maybe we wouldn’t have outdoor pools, Popsicles, bare feet, and the lush vegetation and flowers that flourish here.
— Amy Suardi, 55, Tenleytown
‘Be glad’
I don’t like to be cold. The warmer, the better. Believe it or not, the heat and humidity here is nothing compared to what I experienced growing up in the South, in Arkansas and Texas. Here, there will be a few days when the heat and humidity rival the South, but overall, it’s so unlike summers there. Here, there are breaks in the heat and humidity. Yes, there may be a “heat wave” for a couple of weeks, but it always seems to relent with cooler fronts that usher in less humidity and heat. In the summer South, that’s rare. Count on May to mid-September without any major breaks in the heat and humidity.
Tip: Be glad you are not in the Deep South; embrace our moderate summers.
— Fletcher Bransford, 65, Sterling, Va.
‘Freedom and liberty’
I LOVE HOT WEATHER! A few days recently may have been a bit too hot (95 degrees is about as high as I generally want to go), but no matter how hot it is, I like it better than the oppressive cold of winter. At my advanced age, a lot of these things are just fond memories, but hot means playing outside, riding my bike, the beautiful trees and flowers, baseball, swimming in Ocean City, concerts at Wolf Trap, wearing shorts and T-shirts, sipping wine outside in the gorgeous scenery of Virginia wineries, watching the light show provided by the lightning bugs in my backyard, hearing the sounds of birds — basically, freedom and liberty.
What others appreciate is their business, and I wish them well, but if they want it cold, I would, if I had my druthers, deny them their wish.
Tip: Wear light colors and light fabrics. Drink plenty of fluids, preferably chilled. Stay near somewhere with an air conditioner.
— Glennwood Smith, 73, Arlington, Va.
‘Our own personal air conditioning’
It’s nice to have less crowded local soccer pitches, which means more space to kick around with my soccer-loving son.
Tip: Embrace the heat while understanding your body’s limits. I like to think of sweat as our own personal air conditioning.
— Sam Lee, 45, Vienna, Va.
‘Like doing a hot yoga class’
It makes me feel healthier! I feel more free and comfortable in my body. It’s like doing a hot yoga class — my muscles are loose and warmed up. I also get to wear loose, comfy clothing rather than lots of layers.
Tip: Get access to water, if you can. D.C. has free public pools and spray parks all over the city! I’m at the pool all the time. Get access to shade — easier said than done in neighborhoods that are heat islands, but there are bus lines that go to Rock Creek Park, which is often much cooler than surrounding areas. Try to find the right clothing and gear. If you’re going somewhere that you have to look nice, a makeup or body wipe can be so useful.
— Mary Ellen Dingley, 34, Van Ness
‘I was in heaven’
I grew up in Germany in the 1970s. It never got above 75 degrees in summer. Mostly it was around 65 in the summer. It rained almost all the time. It was so depressing! I was always freezing. When I moved back to Virginia in 1982, I felt like I was in heaven: the smell of magnolia trees, mimosa trees and dogwood. Best of all, I loved the feeling of humidity on my skin. It was so hot, I could actually wear shorts again and a cute sleeveless top and flip-flops. It felt like freedom!
Wish people reminded themselves that some people live in cold and darkness all the time.
Tip: Get all chores done before 8 a.m. Close all shades and drapes at 10 a.m. Walk in the woods in the shade.
— Nicole Busse, 67, Charlottesville
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