I’m writing this Monday morning for this week’s paper in hoping the string of 100+ temperatures will have abated a bit.
Not that dropping from triple-digit to mid-90s readings – the forecast for this week - will mean a lot of difference, but it will somehow seem better.
Early Monday, ERCOT – the state’s power grid – issued an advisory for Texans to turn up their thermostats and avoid using major appliances from 2 to 8 p.m. Monday.
Large electric customers were advised to do the same thing.
Some credible news reports Monday indicated ERCOT told industrial customers, municipalities and first responders there was a possibility that electric power would go down mid-afternoon over the next three days (through Wednesday, July 13).
Also with that announcement, ERCOT officials said they counted on the wind to help ease the strain on the power grid.
Low winds make it harder for the grid to keep up with demand during hotter-than-usual July temperatures.
“Current projections show wind generation coming in less than 10% of its capacity on Monday (July 11),” ERCOT said.
I count on the wind for a different reason since I walk as much as possible, and that’s a daunting task if there’s not much breeze.
The combination of heat and
humidity are extremely onerous without wind. Thus, as someone with a history of heat stroke, I try
to get out walking by at least 7 a.m.
These days, the heat begins early and gets worse.
It really is shocking to see heat forecasts – and real time readings – that show temperatures reach 111 degrees with feel-like projections of mid-to-high teens.
This week’s forecast at least calls for highs in the 90s, mostly cloudy skies and what I think are fantasy projections of some rain.
To make things worst, I’ve put off getting the air conditioner in my truck fixed, since I usually just need from cross-town trips.
Coming back home after commissioners court Monday morning, I got held up for the train at the crossing at 6th Street and met it again a few minutes later on FM 2668.
I got to bake for a while thinking about getting the a/c fixed.
Ironically, I recently got an email from StressFreeCarRental.com, that provided eight options for staying cools for “Motorists without AC.”
Given, most of these suggestions are for long trips, but they didn’t seem to work for my self-owned predicament.
The eight included: staying hydrated (stashing a cold beverage beneath the seat to stay cold); hang a wet rag over the vent; freeze water bottles to use as ice packs; park in the shade; get a mini-fan; get cold packs (not a long-term solution); use a dashboard cover (I have a rarely used one in the back seat); keep the windows slightly cracked.
Since I felt amiss for not fixing the a/c, I wondered if this press release was written for others like me.
Not really, the missive came from Nottingham, United Kingdom.
