Same here, getting higher and higher, normal heatwave for this time of year. We call the July hot sun: " Lion Sun', as the Sun enters the Leo constellation.
What's your weather right now? 2024 Edition
- Thread starter GinnyPNW
- Start date
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Linda0818
Head Chef
I can't stand the heat and don't do very well in summer. But it could always be worse. I'd rather be dealing with the hot temperatures than what those poor people in Texas are going through right now with the hurricane.
pepperhead212
Master Chef
Another 2 days in the mid-90s, and triple digit heat indexes, before it drops a little. Today it is breezier, so I'll be out a little while today. As much as I hate the heat, I know it could always be much worse, that what I'm dealing with. And the things that make my summer bearable, is all that food from my garden, though, of course, this means I'm out in it more! lol I always say, I can't stand the heat, but my peppers love it!
Prayers and positive thoughts for all those in the path of that storm, as well as those in areas setting record high temperatures. I can't imagine something like that. Stay safe.
Prayers and positive thoughts for all those in the path of that storm, as well as those in areas setting record high temperatures. I can't imagine something like that. Stay safe.
Update from Houston, for those interested. The only real problem they are having right now is electricity. CenterPoint Energy was caught with their pants down on this one. Normally, they have thousands of crews from out of state staged in Houston before a Hurricane arrives. They rolled the dice on this one, and waited to see what would happen. Bad decision. The crews are just arriving.
But, at least flooding has not been a big issue. The storm moved through too fast to cause any major flooding.
My sister and mom are both still without power, but my mom should get hers back first, since she lives in a Senior Community, which should get high priority. Her "village" has common areas with backup generators, including a large dining room. Residents can go there, sit in air-conditioned comfort, and drink cold beverages, and the dining room is not charging for meals right now, since the apartment kitchens are all-electric. The food there is very good.
My sister has gas cooking appliances, so she can cook. She filled a lot of zip lock bags with water and put them in her upright freezer before the storm, so her freezer should stay cold for a few days more. It was 80F in her house this afternoon, and all she has is a couple of battery operated fans. The HEB near her has backup generators, so they are open, and she can buy food -- and wander around the air-conditioned store a while.
Oh, but my sister is finally asking me to help her explore options for backup power. This is the second time in 2024 that she has lost power for multiple days. Of course, she will have to wait until winter to get any kind of whole house backup, because dealers/installers in Houston are price gouging in a major way, right now. I'm getting some pricing on a solar/battery system for my house in Dallas before getting a quote for her house in Houston.
CD
But, at least flooding has not been a big issue. The storm moved through too fast to cause any major flooding.
My sister and mom are both still without power, but my mom should get hers back first, since she lives in a Senior Community, which should get high priority. Her "village" has common areas with backup generators, including a large dining room. Residents can go there, sit in air-conditioned comfort, and drink cold beverages, and the dining room is not charging for meals right now, since the apartment kitchens are all-electric. The food there is very good.
My sister has gas cooking appliances, so she can cook. She filled a lot of zip lock bags with water and put them in her upright freezer before the storm, so her freezer should stay cold for a few days more. It was 80F in her house this afternoon, and all she has is a couple of battery operated fans. The HEB near her has backup generators, so they are open, and she can buy food -- and wander around the air-conditioned store a while.
Oh, but my sister is finally asking me to help her explore options for backup power. This is the second time in 2024 that she has lost power for multiple days. Of course, she will have to wait until winter to get any kind of whole house backup, because dealers/installers in Houston are price gouging in a major way, right now. I'm getting some pricing on a solar/battery system for my house in Dallas before getting a quote for her house in Houston.
CD
Kathleen
Cupcake
Slightly off-topic, but I saw a post elsewhere that advised canners to store their empty jars with fresh water to prepare for emergencies since "jars take up as much space empty or filled." Not bad advice.
Linda0818
Head Chef
Yeah, but then how long does that water sit in those jars if they're being saved for emergencies? Or maybe you're supposed to change the water out after so many months?
I have a couple sheets of bottled water in my store room (saved for emergencies) that have been in there for years and, even with sealed bottles, the water has literally evaporated over time.
pepperhead212
Master Chef
That humidity was close to 100% here, as when I went out around 8:30 am, and everything thing was wet, and the temperature was up to about 80° (77° was the low overnight). I came back inside, since I don't do anything with the plants when they are wet. About 11 am it was already close to 90, and most of that dew had lifted, though it was still very humid - mid 70s for the dewpoint, and 97° high, with the HI 104°. I was out around 25, 40, and 30 minutes, in the different sections while they were in the shade. I can't imagine doing that in the sun, in this heat.
Casey, if your sister is in her own home? I can seriously recommend a Generac generator. Starts by itself when the power goes off. Turns itself back off when the power returns. If you're not home... no problem!
When I first moved to the farm, had it not been for my brother starting the gas generator with that pull thingy - I would have been in serious trouble. 7 days without power and horses to water was a serious issue. Yeah, I would have lost a lot of food, but the horses were my main priority at the time. And not to forget the sump pump! Damn house was on a ruddy hill and would still flood!
My 3 priorities were - water ( pumped from the well), sump pump (to keep basement from flooding), and the freezers.
When I first moved to the farm, had it not been for my brother starting the gas generator with that pull thingy - I would have been in serious trouble. 7 days without power and horses to water was a serious issue. Yeah, I would have lost a lot of food, but the horses were my main priority at the time. And not to forget the sump pump! Damn house was on a ruddy hill and would still flood!
My 3 priorities were - water ( pumped from the well), sump pump (to keep basement from flooding), and the freezers.
I actually do this. I have about six half-gallon mason jars full of water tucked away for anything that comes up, because it makes more sense than storing them empty.
CD
City tap water here is good for years in properly sealed mason jars, if you keep them out of direct sunlight. Sunlight breaks down chlorine. I have them on the floor of my pantry.
CD
Kathleen
Cupcake
Well, I got the idea that they would fill them up after cleaning and using them. If I had done it, I would use the newest filled first and work my way back. By summer, most will be emptied and reused so hopefully one would not need to depend on the older ones. Regardless, older ones where the water seems stale can be used for cleaning, flushing, etc. It takes no more room than storing jars.
I am going to start doing it. Especially with water scares that creep up from time to time.
Generac systems are popular in Houston. But, like I said, the dealers jack the prices up whenever a big weather event happens. What I could buy for my house for $8K would cost her $15K, or more in Houston. Generac has a solar system that would cut her on-grid consumption all the time, and have solar/battery backup for emergencies, and qualify for tax credits (at least for now -- depending on what happens in November, those could go away).
We don't have basements down here, so sump pumps are not needed.
CD
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I've recently being seeing ads for solar energy. As much as I think the panels on ones roof are not the prettiest I believe it's going to be the way of the future. Storage or "banking" for rainy days (thru Winter) and even keeping the e-car supplied.
I also like the mason jar idea. At the moment my son has 8 jugs on a rack in the furnace room. We don't care for the city water and bring in bottled anyway. The caps are dated and we rotate them fairly often (usually when we're too lazy to go to the water depot
).
I also like the mason jar idea. At the moment my son has 8 jugs on a rack in the furnace room. We don't care for the city water and bring in bottled anyway. The caps are dated and we rotate them fairly often (usually when we're too lazy to go to the water depot
).
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Woke up to rain and a headache.
It's raining here in Southern Quebec. It's the remnants of Hurricane Beryl. Environment Canada is warning about lots of rain and possible flooding. There could be thunderstorms, so the power could go out. I don't remember the electricity infrastructure being so fragile before the January 1998 North American ice storm.
Still raining off and on here. Emptied more than 10 litres of water that had pooled on the cover of the patio sitting area. Don't think that cover was meant to hold that much water! LOL... dragged out a couple of 5 gallon water bottles and put them in strategic (I hope) places under the covers. Will work? Should know by this evening after some more rain. Seems to have quieted down at the moment for a bit.
msmofet
Chef Extraordinaire
- Joined
- Apr 5, 2009
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Pretty steady rain here. No thunder, but the power went out anyways. about 20 minutes ago.
Linda0818
Head Chef
We're getting the remnants from it as well here in Ohio. It's been very windy, spotty rain here and there and overcast. But nothing drastic. In fact it's cooled the temps down to the 70's. But that won't last. Tomorrow back into the 80's, then 90's again after that.
The power was out for just over two hours. Turns out that Hydro Quebec turned the power off. This is what it said on their app and website. This is a screenshot from my phone.
