Feature by Rui Pastorin
Macau is currently experiencing that time of the year where humidity is rampant, leaving everything feeling wet and unpleasant. It is uncomfortable, and perhaps discomfort can be arguably carried across the city’s weather conditions in general: the hot and humid summers that can leave you drenched in sweat everywhere you go, the freezing winters that can dry your skin, and the rainy days that test your patience as you wait helplessly in traffic.
All of these conjure up feelings of discomfort and annoyance, and in my opinion, true comfort only ever lies in the weather conditions of a particular season, which is autumn’s cool weather. The weather during that season provides some much-needed relief and comfort, as well as being the period where the weather can be favourable to do a wide range of activities.
Having lived in Macau my entire life, I always look forward to the months spanning from late September to November, where the city mostly experiences cool weather, accompanied by autumn mornings that just set everything right. This is the period where the sun does not feel as harsh during the day, as well as being the time for warmer days and cooler nights, providing much needed relief after enduring the city’s hot and humid summers. Coming before the winter season, it is also never too cold and when it rains, it is rarely as merciless as it is in May. There is relief and comfort to be found on most days with cooler weather, making everything seem to be a lot more pleasant and comfortable, a reward for putting up with the discomfort that came before and a break to prepare you for what’s to come after.
The cool weather is also much more favourable for doing a range of activities. For example, exercising or running becomes much more manageable during windy mornings and cooler nights, which can be suffocating under the city’s current weather conditions and with a mask on. Going out also does not bring about excessive sweating, which can be the best for those who like to take long walks or walk everywhere they need to go. Outdoor activities such as hiking, having picnics or barbecues are also best done in cooler weather, where neither the heat nor the cold is too much to spoil the mood for anybody. There is a reason why the generally favourable weather conditions during this period are why travel or tourism websites recommended it as the best period to visit the city (well, before the COVID-19 pandemic), and the comfort that it brings and the things you can do all throughout could explain why.
The city experiences various weather conditions all year round, which can at times feel uncomfortable or unbalanced for some people. Autumn could be the best season for its cool weather as it brings a necessary balance and comfort that can be relieving, while also having preferable weather conditions that make doing any sort of task much both bearable and enjoyable. Autumn and its cool weather remove the discomfort found during the months that come before or after, creating something pleasant that makes me wish it could last longer.
Photos courtesy of Unsplash
