On Wednesday, with D.C.-area temperatures in the triple digits and a heat index between 103 and 105 degrees, WTOP headed to Banneker Pool in Northwest D.C.
A lot of people had the same idea.
The 50‑meter outdoor aquatic center across Georgia Avenue NW from Howard University was packed with residents of all ages who didn’t mind sharing how, other than taking a dip, they stay cool in such brutal weather.
Someone who looked properly prepared was Lexx Hollywood, who had a small portable fan plugged into her iPhone. At home, she said she keeps her thermostat “down to 60” and has large fans all around the house.
Eating ice is Brittani Mason’s hot-weather hack. She said her home would be much cooler if it wasn’t for her three sons.
“In and out, changing clothes like fashion models,” Mason said. “In and out, just to get the air.”
Shena Boyd, who was at the pool with her children, said she now “knows why her grandmother used to say to close them blinds.”
And Kaite Lower’s hot‑weather must‑haves: “A Diet Coke and a lot of water, maybe even an electrolyte.”
But the Florida native said this weather made her feel like she was “at home.”
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