@Cerridwyn I really dislike it when the temperature is that warm at night and is accompanied by a strong wind as it was all afternoon and evening yesterday. It’s a bit like walking into a convection oven.
For those of you trying to sleep in warm or hot conditions:
Try using the tricks my great-grandparents used, before a/c was common in residences.
Use a whole house fan, if your house was designed for one.
Fans - box or stand - everywhere in the house.
If you must sleep during the day or in hot conditions, try to sleep in a room on the east/north side of the house, if your house arrangement allows that.
Or sleep in a room shaded during midday/afternoon by trees.
Use serious curtains in the room for sleeping. All the light you block means you are also potentially blocking heat. Some people use various window films or other window insulation to enhance both light and heat blocking.
If your bedroom is cooler than other rooms, use a towel at the bottom of the door to keep the cool air in.
Point a fan right at where you sleep.
Or at least have a fan circulate air in the bedroom.
Sprinkle the sheets w water (light or heavy sprinkle, your choice) using a sprayer or mist device, when you go lie down.
Possibly get a long dishtowel (14-16" at least, if can). Wet it down thoroughly then wring it out. Hang it around your neck as sports players sometimes do.
Then … to sleep wearing it. (Your pillow may get damp, but this, combined w a fan does help.
You can also use the damp ends of the towel to wipe your face, which will make you feel temporarily cooler.
Possibly get a “cooling fan”. Or set your fan to blow air across ice water.
Sleep on an uninsulated bare waterbed (most people quickly get cold)
If you have shrubbery around your house or residence that comes at least to window sill height, and you are not under heavy water use restriction, water or sprinkle the shrubbery before you sleep (esp if you sleep during the day or the house is still hot when you go to bed.)
Take a cool or cold shower right before you sleep.
If you wake up hot, take another cool bath or shower before you start the day.
These are some of the adaptations I’ve heard used.
Google for more.
Or ask relatives who were children during the 1930’s and 1940’s what they remember doing to keep cool.
Of course, during a rolling blackout, no one has fans, unless one has battery fans or a generator.
Also make sure there is plenty of v cold water in the fridge, chilled and ready, in case you get a rolling blackout.
ERCOT, you remember those guys that said the Texas grid couldn’t handle the extreme cold back in February. Now they are saying the grid cannot handle the extreme heat as all the repairs have not been completed. Come on!! You had one job!!
@ironcheftoni Houston has had about a week of highs around 96-97F with humidity ranging up into the 70% area, generating heat index figures of 115 and above. The forecast says “more where that came from”. This is above normal, even for us; we generally don’t see these ranges until July and August. This is one of the responses to the ERCOT “request” that people curb their power use:
@ironcheftoni@werehatrack
We were like that with the temps in MI where I live last week it was brutal. Right now we cooled down to low 70’s, like high of 71 and no humidity. Very inconsistent weather.
Las Vegas: 116 expected today. We’re at the tail end of a heat wave, and temperatures are expected to decline, dropping below 110 by Monday. (Our normal highs for this time of the year would be around 100.)
@f00l We have a very high risk of desert wildfires in these sorts of conditions. Last year a sizable fire blazed through the community where my office is located. About half of my staff were evacuated from their homes. Only one from my office lost their home, but most of the others lost barns and outbuildings, vehicles, or at a minimum major damage to their property. Several horse owners in the office, but thankfully all were able to evacuate the livestock ahead of the fire. Fortunately no loss of life in the community. Only a few suffered burns while fleeing the fire.
I fear western US wildfires will be a huge prob this summer.
Apart from all the other horrible consequences of wildfires, these fires, if they happen, will further destroy existing ground cover. Thus exacerbating the likelihood of future drought.
@f00l As is the case in much of the southwest, this area has been massively overcome by the desert chamomile (stinknet) weed. They grow and spread prolifically through the winter then dIe off in the spring. Lots of weeds grow and die and dry out and are flammable. But I have never seen anything nearly as flammable as these.
I cleared them from my property a couple years ago and out of curiosity I made a pile of them about a foot high in my 3 foot fire pit. I tossed in a single match and the entire pile was involved instantly, launching a 10 foot tall flame. It was as if they’re composed of gasoline and cordite. Very vicious stuff. They grow thick like a ground cover and in wilderness areas cover every inch of land.
I have a couple friends that are wildland firefighter in the Oregon, Washington area and they came home for a bit last year with the craziest stories. They jump out of helicopter into the fires and will be out there for weeks sometimes. Very exceptional men, doing a job I definitely wouldn’t want to/couldn’t (I’m not strong enough) to do. They sleep in the fires their working and will be out for 2 weeks at a time sometimes working 16 hours days while eating lunch while hiking. It’s not a job for everyone but definitely a friend I’m proud to have.
We hit 104 here on June 1. Does not bode well for July and August. Last year we had triple digits all the way into September. Plus weeks of smoke from forest fires. Not sure I can go through that again, but hopefully this summer will be better. Fingers crossed.
Yeah, that’s pretty scary! It’s not even officially summer yet! Hot in CO also but not as bad as that. Condolences.
That is hot, even by Texas standards
Yeah, but it’s a dry heat, stop whining!
I think it was 72 and 55% humidity here. Now that’s oppressive!
@ybmuG Yeah, but here in the dry west, this kind of heat is wildfire weather!
🥺
@ybmuG Yes, I’ve done wet heat. I’ll take even triple digits over that stuff. At least sweat does you some good out here.
@blaineg @ybmuG It does also allow you to use a swamp cooler, which is nicer than air conditioning.
we were in that range too
a friend in Arizona said she was > 110, can’t remember the exact temp she said…
just googled - Phoenix was about 117 today
we were relatively cool at 103
@Cerridwyn
@Cerridwyn I’m just north of Phx. When I went to bed at midnight it was still 106*.
@ruouttaurmind
i hate that more than when it is hot in the day time, makes sleeping miserable
@Cerridwyn I really dislike it when the temperature is that warm at night and is accompanied by a strong wind as it was all afternoon and evening yesterday. It’s a bit like walking into a convection oven.
@Cerridwyn @ruouttaurmind I call it the ‘blast furnace effect’.
@Cerridwyn @compunaut @ruouttaurmind
For those of you trying to sleep in warm or hot conditions:
Try using the tricks my great-grandparents used, before a/c was common in residences.
Use a whole house fan, if your house was designed for one.
Fans - box or stand - everywhere in the house.
If you must sleep during the day or in hot conditions, try to sleep in a room on the east/north side of the house, if your house arrangement allows that.
Or sleep in a room shaded during midday/afternoon by trees.
Use serious curtains in the room for sleeping. All the light you block means you are also potentially blocking heat. Some people use various window films or other window insulation to enhance both light and heat blocking.
If your bedroom is cooler than other rooms, use a towel at the bottom of the door to keep the cool air in.
Point a fan right at where you sleep.
Or at least have a fan circulate air in the bedroom.
Sprinkle the sheets w water (light or heavy sprinkle, your choice) using a sprayer or mist device, when you go lie down.
Possibly get a long dishtowel (14-16" at least, if can). Wet it down thoroughly then wring it out. Hang it around your neck as sports players sometimes do.
Then … to sleep wearing it. (Your pillow may get damp, but this, combined w a fan does help.
You can also use the damp ends of the towel to wipe your face, which will make you feel temporarily cooler.
Possibly get a “cooling fan”. Or set your fan to blow air across ice water.
Sleep on an uninsulated bare waterbed (most people quickly get cold)
If you have shrubbery around your house or residence that comes at least to window sill height, and you are not under heavy water use restriction, water or sprinkle the shrubbery before you sleep (esp if you sleep during the day or the house is still hot when you go to bed.)
Take a cool or cold shower right before you sleep.
If you wake up hot, take another cool bath or shower before you start the day.
These are some of the adaptations I’ve heard used.
Google for more.
Or ask relatives who were children during the 1930’s and 1940’s what they remember doing to keep cool.
Of course, during a rolling blackout, no one has fans, unless one has battery fans or a generator.
Also make sure there is plenty of v cold water in the fridge, chilled and ready, in case you get a rolling blackout.
Ouchie!
ERCOT, you remember those guys that said the Texas grid couldn’t handle the extreme cold back in February. Now they are saying the grid cannot handle the extreme heat as all the repairs have not been completed. Come on!! You had one job!!
@ironcheftoni
And it’s not even hot yet. So far, coolish summer in much of Texas.
Temporarily
@ironcheftoni Excuses Regarding Climate of Texas
@ironcheftoni Houston has had about a week of highs around 96-97F with humidity ranging up into the 70% area, generating heat index figures of 115 and above. The forecast says “more where that came from”. This is above normal, even for us; we generally don’t see these ranges until July and August. This is one of the responses to the ERCOT “request” that people curb their power use:
@ironcheftoni @werehatrack @phendrick
Texas bills itself as the financial and refinery center of the energy industry.
And the center of the free market unregulated universe: which will improve everything, even essential services, we are told.
/giphy oh fucking well
@ironcheftoni @werehatrack
We were like that with the temps in MI where I live last week it was brutal. Right now we cooled down to low 70’s, like high of 71 and no humidity. Very inconsistent weather.
@ironcheftoni
Here’s a whole bunch of them meme things.
https://imgur.com/gallery/EkSBXhk
Last night at midnight it was 106 on my back porch. For reals.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
fuck
Las Vegas: 116 expected today. We’re at the tail end of a heat wave, and temperatures are expected to decline, dropping below 110 by Monday. (Our normal highs for this time of the year would be around 100.)
Those of you in the western US, in drought conditions, are likely for a very bad summer, I fear.
At least DFW and eastern TX are not in drought at the moment.
Sympathies to all of you already in record conditions
@f00l We have a very high risk of desert wildfires in these sorts of conditions. Last year a sizable fire blazed through the community where my office is located. About half of my staff were evacuated from their homes. Only one from my office lost their home, but most of the others lost barns and outbuildings, vehicles, or at a minimum major damage to their property. Several horse owners in the office, but thankfully all were able to evacuate the livestock ahead of the fire. Fortunately no loss of life in the community. Only a few suffered burns while fleeing the fire.
@ruouttaurmind
I fear western US wildfires will be a huge prob this summer.
Apart from all the other horrible consequences of wildfires, these fires, if they happen, will further destroy existing ground cover. Thus exacerbating the likelihood of future drought.
@f00l As is the case in much of the southwest, this area has been massively overcome by the desert chamomile (stinknet) weed. They grow and spread prolifically through the winter then dIe off in the spring. Lots of weeds grow and die and dry out and are flammable. But I have never seen anything nearly as flammable as these.
I cleared them from my property a couple years ago and out of curiosity I made a pile of them about a foot high in my 3 foot fire pit. I tossed in a single match and the entire pile was involved instantly, launching a 10 foot tall flame. It was as if they’re composed of gasoline and cordite. Very vicious stuff. They grow thick like a ground cover and in wilderness areas cover every inch of land.
I have a couple friends that are wildland firefighter in the Oregon, Washington area and they came home for a bit last year with the craziest stories. They jump out of helicopter into the fires and will be out there for weeks sometimes. Very exceptional men, doing a job I definitely wouldn’t want to/couldn’t (I’m not strong enough) to do. They sleep in the fires their working and will be out for 2 weeks at a time sometimes working 16 hours days while eating lunch while hiking. It’s not a job for everyone but definitely a friend I’m proud to have.
We hit 104 here on June 1. Does not bode well for July and August. Last year we had triple digits all the way into September. Plus weeks of smoke from forest fires. Not sure I can go through that again, but hopefully this summer will be better. Fingers crossed.
https://www.climate.gov/news-features/featured-images/if-things-go-“normal”-most-us-locations-will-have-their-hottest-day