Hot!!!!

[Bob_R]

It was 95 degrees yesterday (not counting the humidity) and it's 95 as I type this today. We're expecting heavy duty thunderstorms here later today which will cool things off for tomorrow (85 degrees).

Evidently the whole country is having a heatwave.

How are you guys and gals doing?


************************************************** *************
Americans Can't Escape Sweltering Heat
Tue Jul 18, 1:12 PM


PHILADELPHIA - The heat wave that has gripped most of the nation showed few signs of abating Tuesday and may persist for some regions until the weekend.

Temperatures predicted to soar past 100 degrees in parts of the Plains, Great Basin, Desert Southwest and California Valley. And a cold front on track to push southeastward through the Northeast, northern Mid-Atlantic and Ohio Valley, brings a slight risk of severe thunderstorms, some with large hail and damaging winds.

But it is the stagnant, sticky, downright dense heat that blanketed much of the northeast that has residents such as Philadelphia's Cheryl Kennedy worried.

"Insanity. Insanity!" she said.

After a long sip from her bottled water, Kennedy added, "This is not fit for human beings. Without air conditioning, I don't think many of us could last like this for too long."

She and millions of Americans may have no choice.

Scores of communities Monday reported temperatures of more than 100 degrees: Redding, Calif., about 160 miles north of Sacramento, reached 110 degrees; Grand Junction in western Colorado hit 101; Russell, Kan., hit 108. At least four deaths have been blamed on the heat, and the heat is suspected in at least three others.

Parts of the Midwest got a little relief Tuesday from a cool front squeezing down from Canada. The 8 a.m. temperature in Milwaukee was 65, compared 76 at the same time Monday.

The cooler air set off storms in Wisconsin and Michigan, with utilities in the two states reporting more than 300,000 customers black out. One woman was reported killed by lightning early Tuesday in Detroit.

The Northeast could get a break starting Tuesday night, with scattered showers and thunderstorms expected for parts of the region, but the heat was likely to persist in the southern Plains until Friday, according to the National Weather Service.

The heat killed a 76-year-old Oklahoma City man in a house where the air conditioner was broken, officials said Tuesday. Three other deaths in Oklahoma were suspected to be linked to the heat.

A 60-year-old woman was found dead of lung disease and heat stress in her Philadelphia home. In Arkansas, authorities blamed the heat for at least one death but did not release any details. On Saturday, a 3-year-old boy died in South Bend, Ind., after apparently locking himself inside a car in 90-degree heat.

The heat may have caused a New York subway train to lose power, stranding commuters for about 2 1/2 hours. About 70 people had to be evacuated. A transit spokesman said the power loss may have been caused when the "third rail" - which powers the train - buckled.

A train derailment in rural Oklahoma's Lincoln County on Monday afternoon might have been attributable to the heat, Highway Patrol Capt. Stewart Meyer said. There were no injuries.

One of LaGuardia Airport's four terminals and part of a second lost power in New York when high demand caused by the heat triggered equipment problems.

In Illinois, state officials made more than 130 office buildings available as cooling centers. Detroit cranked up the air conditioning in 11 of its libraries and invited the public to take refuge from the heat. In Kentucky, Louisville officials offered free fans or air conditioners to those in immediate need.

The heat pushed power consumption to a record in some states, and calls also went out for electricity conservation. California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger ordered state offices to adjust thermostats and turn off nonessential lights for the rest of the week.

PJM Interconnection, which operates the electric grid for all or part of 13 states and the District of Columbia, asked people to reduce usage, especially between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.

In Chicago, the stifling weather prompted organizers of the Gay Games to deliver extra water and sports drinks to athletes. Spokesman Kevin Boyer said organizers asked competitors to bring extra ice and fluids to various events. Several cities, including the District of Columbia, opened cooling centers for people.

For some, the heat was a bonanza. Rick Boaz, owner of Oklahoma City AC Rescue, said his air conditioning installation and repair business is busier than ever.

"We're getting more business than we can handle - it's just the heat," Boaz said. "I'd hate for the heat to affect my business but the reality of it is, extreme temperatures drive my business."

At the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, gorillas got frozen fruit treats, bears played with ice-covered fish, elephants were hosed down, and large fans, water sprinklers and kiddie pools helped other animals stay cool.

Construction worker Chuck Trautman, 54, of Pittsburgh, spends his days outdoors working with a blow torch and wearing heavy protective gear.

"When you're burning with that torch, it makes it twice as hot," he said. "But you've just got to deal with it."

[fast98dodge]

I think it's supposed to get between 95 and 100 here in Oly WA this weekend...

I'm goin' to the NHRA drag races up towards Seattle and definitely will be putting on the sunblock...

[SactoFan]

102 in Sac today...

[janthraxx]

Sac town was fucking HOT. I was there a couple days ago.

[ZeoBandit]

Sunday was 98 in Chicago with a 105 heat index (Approximately). It was about the same yesterday. We got some nasty storms last night, and it is much cooler today (82).

[sixstring]

Hit 105 with a heat index of 112 here yesterday and its supposed to hit 106 today...

It's fucking hotter here than in Vegas for crying out loud...ARRRRRGH...

[graeme]

We're getting the same in Europe as you guys are in the States. Thing is, in the UK very very few people have air-con since it's only in recent years that we've had consistently crazy temperatures.
I'm directing a summer school for German teenagers at the moment, fifteen kids to a class with no air-con in 90 plus and rising by the day degrees. The tv predicts 100 degrees in a coulpe of days.I spend most of my time sat in my shady office drinking tea and smoking cigarettes whilst the teachers sweat it out.
I am a bastard.

[seenbad]

See, Portland sucks much of the year with rainfall, but we do have unarguably the best summers in the USA. It's been 82 or so with bright sunshine and perfect for about the last week straight. It's going to warm up a bit this weekend, but there is no humidity so even 95 is very bearable.

[hatchetforce]

It's so hot here in White Plains, the trees are whistlin' for the dogs

[bigdrewhalenite]

It's 97 in Salt Lake right now. It was 85 degrees at 7:30 this morning as I was driving in to work. Clouds are forming, however, and the air does seem to be cooling somewhat.
I sure hope so. Gotta deliver pizza tonight, and hot weather, combined with the heat of the pizza and the oven, as well as my overall fat ol' ass, tend to make me a sweaty, sweaty guy.

[smithjc]

Milk was a bad idea. It's so effin hot!!! It's gonna hit 100 if it hasn't already.

So is all this from global warming or what?

[Wickett]

It's cooled off to 99 in Dallas right now. Don't know what the heat index is.

[chucker5150]

108 here in Wichita KS yesterday.... forecast is 107 for today. It's so hot that when I parked my Vespa on the blacktop parking lot at the YMCA, (I went for a swim indoors) the kickstand sunk into the pavement about a half inch after sitting there for 30 minutes!

Chucker

[janthraxx]

So is all this from global warming or what?

That's what the liberal wackjobs would have you believe.

[fast98dodge]

Amen to that... Did somebody say wackjob??? I'm sure Tom Cruise is turning his head somewhere...