BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – This week’s toasty temperatures and unrelenting sun can make daytime in the outdoors too hot to handle, so some locals are setting their alarms a little earlier to beat the heat.
It’s an early morning by the Burlington waterfront for Connor Remington, who typically runs later in the day. But in this heat, that’s not an option.
“Yesterday I couldn’t get out in the morning and did a short afternoon run. I was like, yeah, gotta get out earlier, beat this. Not doing that again,” said Remington.
Pets are feeling it, too. Jahasia Jacobs set off on an early morning walk with dog Monty and a large bottle of cold water in tow. When she’s not outside, Monty’s hunting for a cool patch indoors.
“First floor rather than second floor where the heat isn’t rising. And then if there’s any cool tiling so dogs can enjoy cooler space it’ll be nice for them,” said Jacobs.
Safety tips like avoiding the outdoors when possible, hydrating, and dressing appropriately are critical for anyone during a heat wave.
Nicole Acker, who’s used to the blazing temperatures at home in Arizona, has a system down for even the littlest members of her family.
“If you have a dog, be careful when the cement gets hot. I have a little dog at home so I would always carry her until we get to the grass or you put on those little booties if it’s too hot,” said Acker.
Wiping sweat away from a daybreak jog, Bisi Obatereu says he’s looking forward to the chill waiting indoors.
“We just installed AC in my father-in-law’s guestroom yesterday and that helped us sleep through the night. I think they have some heat pumps coming in next week or in July to basically keep the downstairs cool,” said Obatereu.
These early risers say they’re looking forward to regularly scheduled programming this weekend when temperatures dip back down.
There are a number of cooling sites around the state if you need a place to get out of the heat. Click here for a map of cooling centers.