Swimming in the Rain

Rain swimming is a wonderful experience, much more fun than swimming on a sunny day, so long as you do so safely.

When you swim outdoors many times, you’re bound to run into a sudden downpour. It feels almost calming for some reason. Some definitely prefer it.

An advantage of swimming in the rain is that the water feels suddenly warmer. It also is incredibly relaxing due to the white noise the rain makes.

A swimmer sees rain from a unique perspective, as raindrops form balls that race across the water surface, or bounce back, creating small mountains of water where they rebound.

Wind can also add to the outdoor experience, creating a wild landscape even in the most domestic of swim spots. Beware of getting too cold from wind chill. Always wear a windbreaker like an anorak or such.

Hypothermia from Rain Drops

Something not many people consider is that cool rain droplets can cause hypothermia during heavy rains.

Since precipitation lingers at high altitudes where the air temperature maybe near freezing, the rain droplets are also cold. When these rain droplets begin their descent towards the ground, they don't have nearly enough time to heat up, which is why rain feels cool to the touch.

You may be bombarded with lots of cool rain droplets during heavy rains. Prolonged exposure gradually depletes internal heat from your body, giving rise to hypothermic symptoms.

Swimmers may not detect the onset of hypothermia. Many confuse these hypothermic symptoms with the sudden shock of cold that runs through the body when immersing themselves in chilled water. This confusion allows the hypothermia to go unnoticed until their condition reaches a point where they can no longer ignore it.

The solution is to wear clothing layers that keep the rain drops off your skin and retain your body's warmth. Anoraks, ponchos or rain capes over a fleece layer let you enjoy a rainy swim. Layers let you adapt for different weather conditions and keep you warm without being too heavy.

Reader Comment

Always Wet

by Alistair, from Plymouth, England

When hiking I often get wet from rain or swimming. The gear in my backpack is all in ziplocks or other waterproof packaging to keep the necessities dry. The backpack has drain holes for when I have to go through water.

I usually swim in my hiking clothes, too lazy to get changed at every water hole. My hiking cape is easy to swim in. It feels great in the water. When I come out, I shake the water off and I'm good to go on with my hike.

I have several rain capes and ponchos that keep me fairly dry in manageable rain. If it goes beyond that, the cape leaks and my clothes get wet. It keeps me warm, but not dry.

Sometimes when it is warm, I just surrender, take the cape off, and hike in the rain, getting soaked to the skin in my clothes. Usually I wear synthetics that wick and dry quickly.