Severe Heat Wave

[3MTA3]

Isn't the power grid that everybody is worried about failing also the same one that's supposed to charge all those electric cars?

Also, have seen communications telling people to conserve water by not wasting it on their lawns but have wondered how many gallons would be needed to put out fires that wouldn't have happened if lawns and other greenery were, well, green.

 

[gmerkt]

with the sun so bright with no clouds, the solar panels are actually generate excess energy

Well, you've got one year's experience under your belt. BUT: We've had plenty of Junes where it rained nearly every day, plus rained on the 4th of July. This June is not typical within historical weather context. We've also had an unusually clear, warmish, dry Spring. All ideal for solar power. Who knows, maybe this is our future under climate change.

I moved to Wash. 34 years ago to escape from punishing hot weather elsewhere so cool gloom and overcast were a welcome change. I drove cars for years that had no air conditioning. In 2005, I got a new car with AC, but it's only been the past few Summers that I've been compelled to use it much. Previously, I'd thought, "Oh, I only need AC for one or two days a year here, I'll get by without it." But the need seems to have increased, possibly another indicator of change. Hard to believe, that car I got in 05, the AC still works as it did when new and it's never been touched. Mrs. Merkt bought a new Hyundai in 2012, I've had to have that one serviced once to bring the charge up to speed.

We have some forest on our property here. I was out there today; I noted some dry, green leaves falling from the big leaf maples already. They will do that in severe dry weather. It doesn't mean they are dying, but their growth season has been curtailed. Coniferous trees, when they start dropping green needles, they've had it. Hemlock is most draught intolerant. I give them plenty of water or they will die from the ground up. The Doug firs and cedars do okay. I have redwoods and sequoias that I've planted over the years, they get my attention. The sequoia, well watered, will grow 18 to 24 inches a year. They are native to the Sierra Nevadas where it is dry; when they get water here, they take off. When it gets dry, I water my forested property. Ferns, Oregon grape, even the big trees get a drink. Mostly not a proper deep watering such as only natural, regular rain can provide. But it's something.

In taking care of my forest, earlier this year I made a decision to police up all the leaf litter. Which naturalists will tell you provides, in time, new nutrition for the soil by way of decomposing organic matter. A forester would also tell you that leaf litter helps soil retain moisture. I believe these are solid thoughts in normal times. In abnormal, extended dry periods, the layer of leaf litter prevents penetration to the soil of what little moisture is available. In particular, when I water, I want it to get into the soil. Not fall on a layer of leaves where much of it will evaporate and little will penetrate into the actual soil. Or so it seems to me.

In June, 2019, we had a heat pump system installed in the house. So we've had it to use for AC for three Summers now. I switched the thermostat over to AC mode this evening for the first time this Summer. The trees around our place provide a lot of cooling shade, so even on hot days, the AC isn't needed until evening. Once again, in years gone past, I wouldn't have thought having a heat pump for AC was necessary. Now I'm very glad to have one.

I don't yet fret about Summer power outages in the NW. Localized outages in Winter, yes, and then not long lasting. So I'm not ready for battery storage and solar power generation yet. Besides, I'd have to cut down trees for the sun to get to my panels. Same reason a Dish TV antenna would not work here.

 

[SUPER X]

Just opinion but with all the new residents we could get a power failure as the AC gets turned up. Keep cool folks.

The last standing coal fired electricity plant in Oregon was just shut down a few months ago.I would place $ that we will see a outage. It will be a side show the next few days.

 

[billdeserthills]

Just a heads up that a major heat wave is supposed to hit the region. Weather forecast shows a weekend high of 111° in these parts. Just passing it along: Map here, southern Oregon alert here.

It was already 111 here last week

 

[308]

When I was a kid growing up in Sacramento we did not have AC and it was pretty bad trying to sleep when it stayed at 100+ for a long time in the summer. Glad we have AC now though

 

[NeSeR13]

 

[The Heretic]

 

[The Heretic]

When I was a kid growing up in Sacramento we did not have AC and it was pretty bad trying to sleep when it stayed at 100+ for a long time in the summer. Glad we have AC now though

I have a puny AC unit in the kitchen. I close the doors/windows when outside temp gets above inside and turn it on. It makes a little difference. I should buy more AC, but I know in a week or two the temps will go down - I hope.

I remember thinking how unusual it was just 9 years ago when I saw 105* on my car outside temp gauge while driving on I-5. Getting about 100* is rare for the PNW west of the the Cascades, but getting less rare, and more of something that may happen every year.

Just the same, spring and summer and fall are my favorite seasons - I can deal with the heat a lot easier than the dark cold and rain. I am sitting here looking out of my windows and all the greenery and blue sky and sun that all starts at about 4:30 AM and lasts until 9:30 PM and think it is worth sweating a bit in the afternoon. I do have a lot of shade, that plus the elevation makes it less hot by about 10* and it is quiet and peaceful up here. Flat landers have my sympathy.

 

[Alexx1401]

As someone who does HVAC-R and is on call this weekend…. I predict enough overtime this weekend that'll pay off my mortgage!

My Wife just left for work. Going to be close to triple today. Well into triple Monday. She said she is closing the place early today and Monday for just this reason. Said if they lose the AC there would be no way to get a service Tech in. Those guys will be worth their weight in gold for the next few days here.

 

[Longwalkhome]

Saturday morning at 9am and already 80. Got up at six to walk the dog while it was still cool.

 

[edzz]

Thinking about riding my bicycle into Coeur d'Alene to watch the Iron Man competition.

I'll make sure the battery is full charged before leaving, already getting too warm to be doing much pedaling. Gotts to love my e-bikes.

Not my idea of good weather for a marathon.

 

[Soli]

Whats funny to me is how few people understand what having a nice big tree shades your house from the heat. On my street I am the only one for blocks that has trees. One on the south side and one on the west side. Big maple trees that are great for shade in the summer.

I can hear my neighbors AC kick on hours before I need it on. I love trees even though I rake leaves in the fall.

Our neighbor lost a 'neighborhood tree' in the ice storm, a silver maple. Call it that because tho their kids are grown and out they left up the rope swing, and the new neighborhood kids would often play on it. (Yeah, liability, that's were I went. They didn't worry about it.) Magnificent tree, shaded the entire front of their home and part of ours. It came down rather miraculously; a "branch" (easily 6' in circumference) broke over their house! But the break was so slow and the canopy so large that is just settled on the roof. Took out lengths of gutter, but did not puncture the roof. It took a crew and scaffolding most of a day to remove just that part. The tree ended up unbalanced, so they had it cut down a couple of weeks after. It took days; the cutter had to change saw blades multiple times.

Had no idea how dense and hard silver maple is. After it was down he Craig's Listed the free wood. After all the pieces that could be taken were gone there were still about 40 logs/rounds left. I tried to split them with him; mauls literally glanced off. A neighbor organized a truck with a lift gate, and the three of us loaded them into the truck and took it to the transfer station. It was hard work just moving them. Found out why when the weight came back on the bill; 7,600 pounds. And the logs/rounds weren't that big! By size you'd think "no prob, I'll just push it along, or maybe lift it..." HA!

Anyway... all that leading up the thing they've noticed since it's been gone; the front of their house gets hot!

 

[Longwalkhome]

I remember Boardman Oregon before they planted trees along 84. Hot mo digger. Trees keep us from being a desert yet folks don't like them in their own yards.

 

[Dozer99]

Living down here in South Central Oregon (high desert) we're used to hot temps in the summer. But, I have a feeling that we could break our all time record on Monday.

 

[The Heretic]

I remember Boardman Oregon before they planted trees along 84. Hot mo digger. Trees keep us from being a desert yet folks don't like them in their own yards.

That is why I did not clear cut near the house and one reason why I love trees. I spent a year stationed in the Tri-Cities and I do not like an area without trees.

 

[bigbearbear]

When it gets dry, I water my forested property. Ferns, Oregon grape, even the big trees get a drink. Mostly not a proper deep watering such as only natural, regular rain can provide. But it's something.

Have you tried using a product called Hydretain? When you apply it to plants and water it down to the roots, it helps attract moisture to the roots and make it available for the plant. I overseeded my lawn in spring and to help out the new grass in summer, I applied it and hope the lawn survives better than last summer.

Yard Mastery is having a sale on these, I bought their 1 gallon jug:

Hydretain Liquid - Moisture Manager Reduce Watering by up to 50% | Eco

Shop our Hydretain Liquid Fertilizer with FREE Shipping from Yard Mastery at Amazing Prices Now!

yardmastery.com

The temperature is pretty high where I am today, at 99 degrees now in late afternoon and I've been syringing the lawn to help cool it down.

 

[308]

Yikes!!

 

[po18guy]

We have a balmy 99F here in the Cascade foothills. Maybe that's why the native Americans called the area 'The Land of Evil Spirits."

Back in the 50s, the joke was that the Russians were altering our weather. You don't suppose...
Nah! It's the CCP.

 

[Nutty4Guns]

106° here now. Bracing for tomorrow.

 

[gmerkt]

Have you tried using a product called Hydretain

That presents itself as a good idea. But oh my word, I'd have to spend a lot of money on that chemical for the kind of dry weather watering I do here.