Summerish Stockholm

Kaknastornet in a sea of green, on a fine summer day.

I’ve been complaining about the weather.  We’ve had fine clear blue skies, strikingly hot sunlight, a day of rain now and again, and temperatures around 25 deg C (somewhere in the upper 70s F). Fine weather. I’m freezing.

I can’t help it: to me, summer weather — make that JULY weather — should be hot, hot, hot. If you grew up in the Central Valley of California like I did, you know what I mean.  It has to hit 80 or 90 deg F with regularity, and pop up to 105 deg F at least one day to make it really feel like summer.

I recently read a science story about how dry spells help to predict heat waves — http://articles.latimes.com/2012/jul/16/science/la-sci-sn-dry-soil-heat-wave-20120713. The problem is, it only applies in certain regions, mostly those that transition between more northerly latitudes to southern ones. Turns out that Stockholm is far enough north that it doesn’t matter if it’s wet or dry: really extremely hot temperature spikes just don’t happen here.

My friend Schmebola would gladly trade with me if she could.  She’s in Denver, and they are being hit with extreme heat — 90 deg F, day after day after day. This is the kind of summer where fire moves in early and threatens all season.

Ah but that feeling of sitting in the relative cool of the evening, still in light summer clothes!  It’s July 12, and I’m wearing a wool sweater as I type this.

Look closely: That sale sign at Stureplan says “summerish.” I kid you not.

My colleagues have shown up in shirts and tank tops on these sunny days. I’ve seen all sorts of crazy skin-baring summer fashion here in town, from the locals I assume, not the tourists.  Though I have noticed the occasional nod to strategic warmth: leggings, a cardigan tucked in a bag, a scarf. Yes, this is why scarves are so popular here…

But dammit it is beautiful here in summerish Stockholm!

My run the other day in the Djurgarden. Perfect weather for running!

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