Sicily today may have recorded the hottest day ever in all of Europe--48.8 degrees Celsius/119.8 degrees Fahrenheit.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/12/europe/europe-weather-heat-record-climate-intl/index.html
And that's why I take RS's advice and never travel south of the Alps in the summer.
By the way, the U.S. record is hotter. I've personally been in 120 degree temperature. (Lake Havasu, AZ.) It was hot.
Whether Freedonia or Sicily or Greenland we are all inhabitants of planet Earth and impacted by climate change, beyond your luxury to have seasonal travel plans. What about those living in Sicily, or the areas of Greece and Turkey's raging wildfires, or, maybe we in the US who can't currently be safely outdoors?!
When Covid is ever finally over and I can safely travel again the new reality is going to be factoring seasonal climate changes like flooding (think Germany a month ago, and BTW that's not south of The Alps), storms, record heat and etc.
Some sympathy for those living in Sicily (or AZ!) would have been in order with this post, hence my response. A lasting benefit of travel is gaining more compassion and I hope when RS revises his guidebooks that reference will be updated or removed.
Average weather stats mean little these days. Here in the U.K., we have had half the average rain for August within 3 days over the weekend
Travelling by plane certainly doesn’t help climate change.
This is so sad. I am so glad not to be there but these temperatures are awful.
This was part of my vacation planning problem this year. I would have loved to go back to Siracusa, but my vacation time is in August, and heck, it was overly hot (to me) in September when we were there a few years ago. So I knew it just wouldn't make sense for me. Still it makes me sad because I would love to go back ! (Especially as my husband is half Sicilian via his mother ! And we can always go visit his sweet aunt.) but not this year.
