The Science Behind Why Michiganders Melt in the Heat

Over the weekend, I went to Pine Knob to see Keith Urban and Chase Matthew, and while the music was fantastic, the real headliner might’ve been the heat.

It was in the 90s, and people were dropping like flies. Medics were everywhere watching over the lawn like lifeguards at a crowded pool, handing out water, and escorting folks out who looked like they might faint, and I kept hearing the same thing over and over again: “I can’t handle this heat.”

And here’s the thing: I’m originally from Kentucky. So 90-degree days with some thick and heavy humidity? That’s just called summer back home.

But here in Michigan I watched my husband, friends, and pretty much everyone around me really have a hard time. They're not weaker- it turns out, there’s actually a scientific reason why Michiganders fall apart when the sun gets too hot.

While we love to talk about how tough we are when it comes to winter: navigating icy roads, powering through lake-effect snow, surviving the Polar Vortex. But, it turns out our bodies are actually too good at handling cold. That makes it harder for Michiganders to adjust when the temperatures start to skyrocket.

According to Corewell Health, our Michigan-based bodies just aren’t used to frequent heat waves, and because of that, we don’t have the same kind of heat adaptation that people from warmer states do.

If we lived somewhere hot year-round, our bodies would be trained to cool us down better. We’d start sweating earlier, increase blood flow to our skin, and handle heat more efficiently.

But since we typically only get a few truly HOT weeks a year, people who live in Michigan are more likely to end up dealing with heat exhaustion when a wave like this rolls in.

So if you’ve been feeling wiped this week, you’re not alone, and it’s not just in your head. It’s your Midwest blood, your snow-ready body, and your sweat glands going, “Wait, what the heck is happening?”

NEXT: best places to cool off in Mid-Michigan ⬇️

Drink water, stay in the shade, and maybe give yourself a little grace because no matter how tough we are in winter, this summer heat hits different.