Harrowsmith Fall 2019 | 131W E AT H E RMYTH 4:
You can’t get sunburned if
it’s not summer.
It’s winter. The days are shorter,
the angle of the sun is much lower,
the sun feels weaker, the skies are
often overcast, and we’re usually
bundled up, so why worry about
sunburn? The truth of the matter
is that regardless of the time of
year, the sun is still producing
harmful radiation in the form of
ultraviolet light. To further
compound that, snow and altitude
can make it worse. First of all,
when we have snow cover on the
ground, 80 percent of the sun’s
rays are being reflected back
upward; therefore, we are getting
hit from two different angles, and
reflected rays are just as strong as
those we get directly from above.
Secondly, since many people
spend more time in higher
altitudes enjoying downhill skiing,
the higher you are the stronger the
UV rays are because there is not as
much atmosphere at higher
altitudes to absorb the harmful
rays. That’s why it’s important
to make applying sunblock a
year-round routine and not just
one used during summer and
tropical vacations.MYTH 5:
It will rain if you see cows
lying down.
The theory behind this one is that
when cows feel an approaching
storm, they will lie down to
preserve a dry patch of land so
their stomachs can remain dry
and protected. Makes sense, right?
I would probably do the same. The
thing is that cows will likely tend
to lie down when they feel tired
and not exclusively only when it is
about to rain. As we know, fatigue
is something that can occur under
any weather conditions, so don’t
base your outdoor plans on a herd
of bovine taking a snooze.