New York City, August 2, 2012

★ Single-minded and actively hostile. Drop the chin under the bludgeoning glare from the sky, only to catch an uppercut from the glare rebounding off the pavement. The lone mercy was that there was no cunning or depth to it: When an occasional cumulus cloud intervened, it was as if the assault had never happened. But the fire-escape railings were still hot to the touch.

Weather ratings range from zero to five stars.