Summer in Austin: What To Know, What To Do and How To Stay Cool

A Texas summer means triple-digit heat peaking in July, a sun that hardly takes a day off and humidity you can practically wear. The season isn’t for the faint of heart, but for Austinites with a little prep and local know-how, it can be some of the best months of the year.

For Longhorn Village residents, summer is just another reason to love where they live. In this blog, we’ll cover heat-related warning signs to know, practical steps to take and local experiences worth getting out for.

The Texas Heat Doesn’t Mess Around. Neither Should You.

Heat-related illness is more common among older adults than most people realize, and it can escalate more quickly than expected. At heat index temperatures above the 90s, fans stop helping. Air conditioning is the only real solution.

Heat exhaustion symptoms develop after exposure to high temperatures combined with inadequate fluid intake. They include heavy sweating, pale and clammy skin, weakness, dizziness, nausea and headache. That last one, the heat headache, is often the first signal people wave off. Don’t.

For heat headache treatment, move to a cool environment immediately, drink water slowly, and apply a cool, damp cloth to your neck and forehead. If symptoms don’t improve quickly, seek medical help. Heat exhaustion can progress to heat stroke, a medical emergency requiring immediate attention.

Wondering how to stay cool in the heat? Follow these simple guidelines.

• Hydrate before you’re thirsty.
• Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing.
• Apply SPF 30 or higher sunscreen.
• Schedule any outdoor activity before 10 a.m.
• Read more summer safety tips.

What’s Cooking in Your Car? Hopefully Not Your Medications.

Your car isn’t a medicine cabinet. The inside of a parked car can reach well over 100°F in a short time, more than enough to compromise many medications, even during a quick errand. Heat can alter a medication’s effectiveness without any visible signs of damage. No discoloration, no melting, but the drug may no longer work as intended.

Inhalers can be damaged by heat, injectable medications like insulin can lose potency and epinephrine auto-injectors can malfunction. Hormone-based medications, certain blood pressure drugs, antibiotics and sunscreen are also vulnerable. Expired or heat-exposed sunscreen can lose its SPF protection without looking any different.

Here’s how to keep your medicines safe:

• Take medications with you when you leave the car rather than leaving them behind.
• Store them at home in a cool, dry bedroom drawer or hallway cabinet, not a bathroom where moisture is a problem.
• Use an insulated bag for heat-sensitive prescriptions when traveling.
• Check expiration dates on sunscreen at the start of each season. Replace any containers that have been sitting in a hot car.

Your Dog and Your Car Feel Texas Summer Heat, Too

Pavement that feels manageable to bare feet can be dangerous to paw pads. If you can’t hold your hand flat on it for five seconds, it’s too hot for your furry friend to walk on. Keep outdoor time brief during peak heat, exercise early or in the evening and always bring water for your dog on any outing. When possible, park in the shade.

Lone Star summers also take a toll on cars. Before the season peaks, have your coolant system and battery inspected, check tire pressure regularly and make sure your air conditioning is serviced. A sun visor can help keep your interior cooler and protect your dashboard. Keep a small emergency kit in the car in case something goes wrong in the heat. Include water, a phone charger and a flashlight.

Beat the Heat: Things To Do in Austin When It’s Hot

When looking for things to do on a hot day, the city has some of the best indoor cultural opportunities and plenty of cool deals.

• The Blanton Museum of Art on the University of Texas campus spans European classics, modern American and Latin American art. Free every Tuesday.
• The Bullock Texas State History Museum offers interactive exhibits and an IMAX theater. Free on the first Sunday of every month.
• The Harry Ransom Center, also on the UT campus, houses one of the few surviving Gutenberg Bibles and the earliest-known photograph. Always free.
• The LBJ Presidential Library features rotating exhibits and views of downtown Austin.
• For performing arts, the Long Center for the Performing Arts hosts Broadway tours and concerts, and ZACH Theatre offers Broadway classics and local productions year-round.
• The Alamo Drafthouse turns a movie afternoon into a full experience. AFS Cinema is the go-to for documentaries, independent and international films.
• For fresh air before the heat sets in, early mornings at Texas Farmers Markets at Mueller are hard to beat.

Hot Town, Cool Life: Making the Most of Summer at Longhorn Village

Everything you love about Austin — thriving arts scene, world-class museums, vibrant music community — is just minutes away from the beautiful Steiner Ranch neighborhood. And when you’d rather stay close to home, Longhorn Village has you covered every season of the year. Even a Texas summer is no match for what we have planned.

Climate-controlled spaces, robust programming and a close-knit social community means life doesn’t slow down when the mercury rises. Residents enjoy health and wellness offerings, lifelong learning courses, group outings to the city, culinary events, book clubs and a full calendar of activities built around how they want to spend their days.

Summer in Texas isn’t something to endure. With the right community around you, it’s something to soak up. Explore the Longhorn Village lifestyle.

Featured Image: Hannahd_10020 / Shutterstock