Summer has finally arrived in Seattle! 'We don't get many months like this here'

SEATTLE – Western Washington hit record temperatures above 90 degrees this weekend.

“Summer has finally arrived to Seattle!” said Lindsey Castellon, who took advantage of the hot day to hang a hammock on trees at Lake Union Park.

“In March, I’m like when can we hammock?” said Castellon, who added she’s been waiting for a day like today for months. ‘Hammocking’ is the term she uses for her activity of choice to hang out on a hot day.

"They’re great. It’s a nice little investment, you stash it in your bag and you’re good to go,” she’s among the many people in Seattle who live without an air conditioner at home.

"The sun just comes in in the afternoon and it’s like a greenhouse in there, it’s kind of a battle,” said Castellon.

Battling the sun is no problem for mom Amy Ramos, who put up a small tent on the beach for her family to enjoy the shade.

"We don’t get many months like this here in Seattle, so it’s nice to bring him out here and let him play while it’s sunny. We drink plenty of water and make sure we bring this along with us,” said Ramos.

However, you’re enjoying summer, keep in mind even though the air temperature is warm, doesn’t mean the water is too. Lakes average about 70 degrees on the surface temperature according to Rory Dees with the Seattle Fire Department, but on Puget Sound, he says the temperature doesn’t vary much between summer and winter.

"The sound is roughly 54 degrees. Your time in the water of being functional is roughly 10 minutes,” said Dees.

He warns to know your limitations before getting in the water, wear life vests and keep an eye on children and pets.

"We don’t need much time, string it up, chill, take it down, go home,” said Castellon. “Vitamin D is a little hard to come by,” she added.

Wearing light-colored, loose-fitting clothes in breathable fabrics like cotton will help keep you cool this summer.

Moving your exercise routine to early morning or late at night to avoid the hottest time of the day is also a good idea. And, as temperature stay relatively warm during the nighttime hours, a creative idea to keep cool at night is to freeze your pillowcase about 10 minutes before bed for a more comfortable night’s sleep.