My car also needs the A/C repaired, which I'm planning to have done in the next week or so. That should guarantee a cool August, right?

Most likely.

It's rainy, windy, and sixty-five degrees right now.

This summer is really something, eh? A couple of Saturdays ago when we had a lot of work to do around the house, we were so happy the temperature was hovering between 60 and 60F ... unbelievable for July here in southern Ontario. But, again, I am totally not complaining!

Actually, this coming week is to be the warmest stretch of days we have had all summer, and it's the first week in August, when we usually only get scattered hot days here and there. Daytime temps should be around mid-20sC/high 70sF, but the humidity level should be sitting steady at 30C/86F. Not terribly hot for many of you, but a bit too warm for me. Anyway, August is here and that means autumn is within sight!

Glad you're enjoying the weather there, IlF. It sounds like your winter is bringing unusual stuff your way, wagga.

So, I have been wanting something like this article for many years now. You know how supposedly about 5% of the population suffers from Winter Seasonal Affective Disorder? Well, there are finally people recognizing that there is such thing as Summer S.A.D. Hear-hear!

Seasonal Depression Can Accompany Summer Sun

Note, in particular, the comments made by the designer at the end of the article. Ditto to those! I can get quite down in the sunshine/blue sky/hot and humid temperature time-of-year when most are 'enjoying' and reveling in the out-of-doors. But since our summer this year has been very comfortable, overall, I have been able to accomplish so much more than other summers. Yet I have found that it is almost socially unacceptable to have Summer S.A.D. All we want is a little bit of understanding, even if others can't fully comprehend.

/edit And here is another, more recent, article.

So, what was a forecast of possible thunderstorms turned in to a flash flood in our area yesterday as 125 mm/7-8" of rain fell in 4 hours. We have never experienced anything like this here before. Lower levels of houses are flooded, as drains outside could not keep up with the relentless downpour; major highways were closed last night; thousands upon thousands of dollars damage.

As for our home, water flowed in through the basement door and made its way partway across the family room floor. It also leaked a couple of places in the large crawl space, and we ended up having about 2" of water in there—not everywhere, but maybe over 65% of the floor area. As we are near the end of a move, thankfully most everything we have had been moved out already, but others were not nearly so fortunate. We got off relatively 'easy', and it'll still take the rest of the week to clean up. The yard and garden literally flowed into the pool, which is now an ugly grey colour, instead of its usual sparkling and appealing blue. However, within a week, this should be back to normal again once we get the circulation up and running. /edit/ My husband got the pump running again this evening. /end edit/

So, wow. Our city got hit the hardest in southern Ontario, apparently. One city over, where two of our kids live, they got, like .5 mm. Whoop-dee-doo.

Today more rain was forecast, but although the clouds are hanging heavily over the area, no precipitation has fallen yet. And tomorrow there is a clearing trend. This is good news! Thankfully it's not hot, but everywhere you go, you can palpably feel the moisture in the air.

/edit I just heard that Burlington got two months worth of rain in a matter of a few hours yesterday!

We have rain today to jo. As you saw on facebook yesterday we had a rather warm day for August but today there was been a sudden flip back to winter, this is not doing hayfever suffers any good. I don't usually experience hayfever but I have now. It is horrible not to mention I have a fever and no longer can tell what the temperature really is.

Interesting articles about Summer SAD, jo. I'm pretty sure I don't suffer from either variety but know a couple people who have the winter variety.

As much as I dread the heat, humidity, and mosquitoes of high summer, there is still a tiny voice in my head that makes me want to get out there and enjoy summer because it is so short here. (I just tell it to be quiet until September comes, and then I'll be out of doors a lot )

It's been dry here, though the other evening we were caught out in a brief torrential downpour that soaked to the skin.

Today is the astronomical halfway point between the summer solstice and autumnal equinox (in the Northern Hemisphere), and the pace of our days getting shorter is picking up. We've lost over an hour of daylight since the solstice (but this is nothing like Barrow, Alaska. At latitude 71N, they've enjoyed the midnight sun until recently, but now their days are shortening at almost 30 minutes each day; by mid-November the sun won't rise at all).

Thank you, Stargazer! I have noticed lately that I don't have to put the lights on of a morning, and it is now sunset at 5.00 pm or after. And it is still only a week after the old high summer festival of Lammas, (July 31st - 1st August) celebrated by the ancient Celts. I think there are three other similar festivals around the year. 1.Samhain, the original Halloween. 2. Beltane (April 30th - 1st May), and Imbolc (Candlemas - around February 2nd).

Would these festivals have some relationship to this midpoint between solstices & equinoxes, I wonder?

That's exactly right, wagga! Old calendars have 4 quarter days (which roughly correspond to the solstices and equinoxes), and 4 cross-quarter days (the ones you named) that fall halfway between the others.

Read more here.

And we are seeing a noticeable difference in the decreased light in both the morning and the evening, particularly the former. This is an indicator for me that it won't be long before the temperatures are cool enough for me to get out on morning walks again under the night sky, yay!

I didn't think I'd ever be glad for 4 or 5 days of sunshine in a row , but after all the flooding this past Monday in our area, we are grateful, for many people have to dry out their houses, us included. The process is gradually coming along, but it does take time. Temperatures are in the mid 20s/77F, and cooling down nicely at night for sleeping. Then rain moves in again early next week ... but not to the same extent as the now infamous August 4!

Oh I hope you didn't get too much damage?, My moving around the country has made me miss any flooding or bushfires much you tend to hear about in the summer months in Australia.

Talking about morning walks my mum goes on ones at about 5am during the summer here. Since that is when the sun is rising in midsummer. She has stopped going for them in the winter and goes in the afternoon instead, since by the time it is light enough to go, she has to get my younger siblings ready for school.

I always judge the seasons by how light it is when I have to get up/leave for work when I have to be there by 6am, lol. This week, I've noticed that it's just a touch darker at 5:30am than it has been...I had to use my headlights while driving, whereas I haven't needed to for the last few months. Sure signs that fall is approaching!

BUT, I won't be here long enough to experience the dreaded "go to work in the middle of the night" feeling that happens when it's still pitch black at 6am, lol. I'm actually moving to Taiwan at the end of the month! I'll be teaching at an English camp in a city on the eastern coast for a year. I'm very excited, but my biggest concern right now is definitely the weather...it's SO much hotter and humid than here! And the use of AC is not really widely practiced. So this spoiled American might have a lot of adjusting to get used to, lol. At least I'm going towards the end of summer, so the first while will be in the "better" weather, and it won't start getting really super icky until after I've been there awhile.

Piece of advice when it comes to adapting to warmer weather...

hydrate
hydrate
hydrate

I don't care if you've thought you've had enough water. Drink more. I usually average about 8 - 16 ounces of water in temperatures where the heat index tops 100F. If you aren't used to the humidity, it'll hit you like a ton of bricks and drain you faster than you think.

Keep in mind, I currently work outside with the heat index over 105F. Oh and don't drink ice cold water when you're already really hot. Cool water is fine. Ice cold will shock your system.

Thanks, IlF, we didn't get a whole lot of damage, but others did whose entire lower levels had a few inches of water, at least, covering the entirety.

Nice to hear about your mom's walks.

Gymmie, that's exciting, but oooohhh, heat and humidity with no A/C. I guess fans are better than nothing.

Definitely hydrating is so important. I drink 12-16 8 oz. glasses of water/day all year 'round, but make a special effort when it's hot out.

Ah... suggestion: Pack a lightweight, long sleeved shirt.

Get it soaking wet (If the water is safe to do so) when you're going to be outside... Instant AC. It actually does work. We've kept several kids from overheating in the summer heat this way.

Good idea, kat!

So, more and more reports are coming out of last Monday's flooding. We have had such minimal damage/problems compared to many folk. Today, when out on errands, I saw a number of houses with those huge dumpsters as they begin the long, arduous clean-up. But get a load of this: the lower levels of some houses not far from us were completely submerged ... as in 7' of water!!! Including the Mayor's home. Unbelievable! Thankfully we have a few more dry days (through Monday, I believe).

That's quite the flooding, jo, and reminiscent of some places around here in June. Glad you had only minimal effects.

That sounds like quite the adventure, Gymfan! Very exciting despite the likely heat and humidity. (I recall tales of incredible heat and humidity when my friends went to Guangzhou in mainland China to adopt their daughter).

Pack a lightweight, long sleeved shirt....Get it soaking wet (If the water is safe to do so) when you're going to be outside... Instant AC.

We've used a variation of this as a tried and true technique. I used to work in a warehouse that could reach 110F/43C in the summer, and pouring cold water on your sleeves worked wonders thanks to evaporative cooling. One similar trick we've tried while summer camping is a bandanna or headwrap that is wet.

But right now it's dry here...hard to believe after June's flooding. There is a chance of rain the next few days however.

Not even 9pm local time and we're well into civil twilight. In June there was still almost half an hour before sunset at this time.

Re getting cool when it's too hot, there have been various times when watering the gardens that I have aimed the hose above me, and let it trickle down all over ... boy, did that keep me cool for the rest of the watering session.

I used to work in a warehouse that could reach 110F/43C in the summer, and pouring cold water on your sleeves worked wonders thanks to evaporative cooling.

stargazer, I can't imagine you in such a setting. Good thing you found a trick that helped.

So, a weather statement has been issued for the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) saying that there could be heavy rains tonight and tomorrow, along with potential flooding. Great. Many folk who got the worst of it last Monday are only beginning the huge clean-up. This morning I heard of even more families just north of us (as in 5 minutes north by car) whose entire lower levels were literally filled with water ... so much so it started spilling into their main floor. And along with the loss of many possessions, some houses are now having foundation problems. The rain is to continue all week off and on.

It is rather hot and humid today (although not unbearable if one doesn't move too fast ), but with the approaching storm, the weather should be turning unseasonably cool the rest of the week.