Deadly heat wave may linger until weekend

[Janice]

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (AP) -- Cheryl Kennedy had just one word to describe the stagnant, sticky, downright dense heat that blanketed the downtown business district and most of the nation.

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

Scores of communities Monday reported temperatures of more than 100 degrees: Redding, California, about 160 miles north of Sacramento, reached 110 degrees; Grand Junction in western Colorado hit 101 degrees; Russell, Kansas, hit 108 degrees.

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 to 76 at the same time Monday. The cooler air set off storms in Wisconsin that knocked out power to some 14,000 customers.

"Hopefully with the storms it brought some cool air and people can open their windows," Wisconsin Public Service Corp. spokeswoman Marilynn Bazett-Jones said.

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.

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, Indiana, 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 Captain Stewart Meyer said. There were no injuries.

One of LaGuardia International 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.
Thermostats turned up in Sacramento

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.

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."
Hosing down the elephants

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.

Health officials warned people to take precautions, such as never leaving children or pets in closed vehicles, wearing lightweight, loose clothing and drinking plenty of fluids.

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


http://www.cnn.com/2006/WEATHER/07/18/h ... index.html

[Skywatch_NC]

It's progged to reach 100F for the first time this summer today here in Raleigh!

****

*UPDATE*

As of 2:30 pm ET it reached 100F here in north Raleigh!

[P.K.]

It is not just over there it is hot. There are problems over here with roads melting today, and tomorrow will be hotter. It is possible tomorrow might be the hottest July day on record for the UK. (36.0C is the record)

[stormtruth]

Heat Deaths are being reported

[Cyclenall]

It is not just over there it is hot. There are problems over here with roads melting today, and tomorrow will be hotter. It is possible tomorrow might be the hottest July day on record for the UK. (36.0C is the record)

Your roads are melting? Pictures please!

This may be a very deadly heat wave that could kill 100's nation wide.

[TexasStooge]

Your roads are melting? Pictures please!

I think that's figurative speech.

[P.K.]

No they really are melting! I've seen road temperatures of 52C reported. Anyone who has been following the Tour De France recently will have seen the same thing happening there.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cornwall/5191152.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/5189734.stm

[Matt-hurricanewatcher]

So this is global?

[vbhoutex]

So this is global?

He is commenting that the heat wave is present in England too. Not to worry.

[P.K.]

That was it yes. The post was in the Off Topic forum when I originally replied. The record for the hottest ever July temperature in the UK has indeed been broken today when 36.3C was reached.

It is just summer across the northern hemisphere at the moment so it will be hot in some places.

[TexasStooge]

The summer heat is also taking its toll on some A/C units at this Dallas apartment complex:
_____________________________________________________________

Sweltering apartment dwellers complain

By CHRIS HAWES / WFAA ABC 8

DALLAS, Texas - The summer heat has been brutal for North Texans.

In the last 24 hours, more than 100 tenants have called the City of Dallas in desperation after their landlords failed to fix their air conditioners.

City officials want property owners to know they're serious about protecting residents from feeling the searing—and potentially deadly—heat.

News 8 watched as code enforement officer Ricardo Sinyward walked from room to room in one sweltering Southwest Dallas apartment unit gauging temperatures and testing vents.

Full Story Here

[TexasStooge]

Putting heat on power companies

Lack of state action could kill, petitioners say; providers disagree

By ROBERT T. GARRETT / The Dallas Morning News

DALLAS, Texas - North Dallas resident Mary Lou Garcia runs fans and wraps herself and a severely retarded son in wet towels to scrimp on air conditioning.

Still, she begged a charity for help to avoid having her electricity shut off this week.

Ms. Garcia, who quit her job as a DISD translator to care for her son, said getting by on a monthly $603 disability check is tough – especially when it's over 100 degrees outside and she wants to switch on the air.

Full Story Here

[TexasStooge]

This is the last thing anyone would wanna see/hear:
_____________________________________________________________

Police: Boy died of heat stroke

By MARGARITA MARTIN-HIDALGO / The Dallas Morning News

A 4-year-old boy who died after being found unconscious during a day care outing was a victim of heat stroke, Balch Springs Police Chief Phillip Prasifka said Friday afternoon.

Chief Prasifka said he based his statement on a preliminary autopsy report on the death of Jacob Fox.

Full Story Here
_____________________________________________________________

Why do you think the NWS issues Heat Advisories and Excessive Heat Warnings?

[bob rulz]

Some people don't even pay attention to the weather forecasts, sadly, or they just don't think anything bad will happen to them or anybody they know.

[AussieMark]

u guys seem to be experiencing a summer like I just went thru maybe worse

here is a summary of warm days last summer

November 9: 94
November 10: 95
November 15: 96
December 5: 100
December 6: 93
December 7: 104
December 23: 98
December 24: 109
December 28: 101
December 31: 94
January 1: 112
January 3: 96
January 11: 103
January 23: 94
Feburary 2: 103
February 6: 96
February 9: 96
February 18: 104
February 19: 95
March 16: 96

[TexasStooge]

And I thought the summers here in TX were hot.