Winter in July?

Some people don't realize that Uruguay is in the Southern Hemisphere, and that's okay. We had to look it up on a map when we first considered moving here. We are located in the Southern Cone (that was a new term for me as well) of South America. Because we are south of the equator, our seasons are the opposite of those in the United States.

So, while our friends and family back in the U.S. are enduring temperatures above 100°F, Mikey and I are in the middle of winter. I thought I would take a moment to give you an idea of what winter is like in Uruguay.

Winter here typically runs from June through some point in August. Sidebar: I have been told that either five five days before or for five days after August 30, we usually experience major rainstorms. It is a weather phenomenon that takes place each year. Apparently, this happens as warmer air arrives and mixes with the cold air over the Atlantic Ocean. I'll keep you posted as we get closer to that time.

Back to the story at hand.

Winter here consists of gray skies about 95% of the time (okay, that's just my estimate). It's hard to explain, but the gray somehow feels even grayer than what we experienced in Connecticut. We haven't seen the sun in days—maybe even more than a week.

Our temperatures usually hover between 45°F-50°F. Again, that's nowhere near as cold as a Connecticut winter. However, for some reason, it feels much colder. I know one reason is the wind.

Many days are incredibly windy. If we have the shutters closed, we can hear them rattling. Downtown, where the tall buildings create wind tunnels, it's even worse. And that wind carries the cold. A temperature of 50°F can easily feel like the low to mid-40s.

It took Mikey and me about a year to acclimate to Connecticut's winters. Part of that was finally buying the right clothing in the fall of 2019. After our first winter, we would wear light jackets when it was in the upper 30s or low 40s. Somehow, our bodies adjusted. Weird, I know.

Another factor that affects the weather here is the water. Much of Uruguay borders an enormous body of water. As the wind blows across the Atlantic Ocean, it picks up moisture before moving inland. The result is a damp cold that gets into your bones.

I used to hear people say, “the cold is in your bones,” growing up, and people say it here as well. As it turns out, they're right. You get cold in a way that takes a long time to shake. Back in Bristol, if we got chilled, we could warm up within minutes thanks to our radiated heat. Ah, radiated heat...how I miss you.

Rain is another part of winter here. I think we've had rain at least once a week since June. It usually isn't a heavy downpour but rather a steady mist or light rain. As a result, the ground rarely has a chance to dry out, which adds to the humidity. Tyson has redesigned the backyard to be a large mud pit.

One non-natural factor that makes winter feel colder is how many homes are built. They tend to be drafty. Our apartment is brand new—we're the first people to live in it—but even so, the windows let in drafts. You can actually see condensation around the window and door frames.

We heat the apartment with three mini-split units. The ones in the bedrooms keep those rooms reasonably comfortable. As I type this, though, I'm still chilled. The unit downstairs only warms a small portion of the living room, while the kitchen remains cold. Once again...ah, radiated heat.

To summarize, yes, we are in the middle of winter. While I do feel for everyone back in the U.S. dealing with extreme heat, we're over here bundling up. We're surviving, though. I'm just looking forward to mid-August, when winter begins to loosen its grip and spring starts making its arrival.