Leslie Lopez Weather Discussion – Wednesday, July 30, 2014

What is the Right Amount of Water to Carry with you on a Hike?

This weather has been perfect for all types of outdoor activities. A personal favorite is hiking, but with the warm weather I’ve been carrying around a lot more water with me. So, what is the right amount of water to take on a hike? Too much could weigh a hiker down, and too little can be extremely dangerous.

From talking to fellow hikers and the good outdoorsy people at REI (haha) and online blogs, it seems the favored recommendation is to take along about 2 liters for a 4-hour hike! I don’t drink quite that much, but I get close, especially during this hot season.

Also, I don’t enjoy hiking midday during summer and early fall. I prefer early mornings and evenings. The sun angle is lower, and the hike remains enjoyable. So, that’s my other recommendation – it’s safer to hike during the cooler hours of the day. You perspire less, which means you lose less water.

But, if you have to take that midday hike, drink a 1/2 cup to 1 cup of water every 30 to 40 minutes to replenish your body. If you end up taking a hike surrounded by mountain streams, it’s also a good idea to make a little investment. REI sells nifty water filters and purifiers to take along on your hike. You just stick one end of the hose into a mountain stream and you have some potable water! Again, this is for high elevation, wilderness streams, not back country water sources. You could get very sick, so be wary! Remember, you can survive 3 weeks without food, but only 3 days without water!

It’s also always good to have a buddy with you and a fully charged phone, compass, matches, knife, (hiking essentials) etc. If you are headed out this week on a hiking adventure, have fun! Stay hydrated and be safe!

Today, we are looking at another warm and wonderful day. Coast 79, Inland 89, Mountains 85, Desert 109. There is another chance for monsoonal moisture to make its comeback by the weekend. I will keep you informed on potential thunderstorms.

This viewer picture below is from Mike Fila! What a vantage point! Thanks for sharing Mike!

7-day forecast issued by the National Weather Service as of 11 a.m. Wednesday:

REST OF TODAY…BECOMING PARTLY CLOUDY. HIGHS 75 TO 80 NEAR THE COAST TO 81 TO 86 INLAND. LIGHT WINDS.

TONIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY. PATCHY FOG OVERNIGHT. LOWS 63 TO 68. LIGHT WINDS.

THURSDAY…MOSTLY CLOUDY IN THE MORNING…BECOMING MOSTLY SUNNY. PATCHY FOG IN THE MORNING. HIGHS 74 TO 79 NEAR THE COAST TO 80 TO 85 INLAND. LIGHT WINDS.

THURSDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR IN THE EVENING…BECOMING CLOUDY. PATCHY FOG OVERNIGHT. LOWS 63 TO 68. LIGHT WINDS.

FRIDAY…CLOUDY IN THE MORNING…BECOMING MOSTLY SUNNY. PATCHY FOG IN THE MORNING. HIGHS 73 TO 78 NEAR THE COAST TO 80 TO 85 INLAND. LIGHT WINDS.

FRIDAY NIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY IN THE EVENING…BECOMING MOSTLY CLOUDY. PATCHY FOG OVERNIGHT. LOWS 64 TO 69.

SATURDAY…MOSTLY CLOUDY IN THE MORNING…BECOMING PARTLY CLOUDY. PATCHY FOG IN THE MORNING. HIGHS 73 TO 78 NEAR THE COAST TO 80 TO 85 INLAND.

SATURDAY NIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY IN THE EVENING…BECOMING MOSTLY CLOUDY. PATCHY FOG OVERNIGHT. LOWS 64 TO 69.

SUNDAY…MOSTLY CLOUDY IN THE MORNING…BECOMING PARTLY CLOUDY. PATCHY FOG IN THE MORNING. HIGHS 73 TO 78 NEAR THE COAST TO 79 TO 84 INLAND.

SUNDAY NIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY IN THE EVENING…BECOMING MOSTLY CLOUDY. PATCHY FOG OVERNIGHT. LOWS 62 TO 68.

MONDAY…MOSTLY CLOUDY IN THE MORNING…BECOMING MOSTLY SUNNY. PATCHY FOG IN THE MORNING. HIGHS 74 TO 79 NEAR THE COAST TO 80 TO 85 INLAND.

MONDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR IN THE EVENING…BECOMING MOSTLY CLOUDY. PATCHY FOG OVERNIGHT. LOWS 61 TO 67.

TUESDAY…MOSTLY CLOUDY IN THE MORNING…BECOMING MOSTLY SUNNY. PATCHY FOG IN THE MORNING. HIGHS 73 TO 78 NEAR THE COAST TO 79 TO 84 INLAND.