A Typically Atypical Portuguese Summer
Summertime in my small rural Portuguese town
The summer of 2024 is shaping up to be yet another atypical summer. To clarify the meaning of such a word, we say something is atypical when it deviates from the normal order of things.
But now comes the problem: We no longer know what is normal or abnormal regarding the weather.
It was once believed that summer was the season of warmth, prompting us to wear shorts or knee-length dresses. It was the season of sun that filled our souls with cheer, extended the days of light, and freed us from the darkness that seemed to close in. In short, it was the season of joy, one we eagerly anticipated almost all year long.
But now, with each summer that arrives and is experienced, people always say it’s another “atypical summer” for one reason or another. Two years ago, it was like hell — one of the worst I’ve ever felt in my life — in this corner of northern Portugal’s interior. Temperatures soared above 45ºC [113F] during the day and didn’t drop below 30ºC [86F] at night, leaving the whole neighborhood in a state of frenzy at night and somnambulism during the day.
Yet, it wasn’t just the scorching heat that put everyone on edge; wildfires raised temperatures even more and filled already gasping lungs with black…
