Hot Hot Hot!

It’s going to be hot!

This summer is going to be hot! Back in February when the weather was crazy this year, I started looking into the National Weather Association’s predictions for what the summer was going to be like.

The National Weather Association puts out national maps for three month periods showing probable climate patterns for different areas. The three-month map of June, July and August that I looked at back in February said that this summer was going to be 30-40 degrees hotter than usual. Now – I looked again today…and there is a big ugly 50 on the screen. This means, that as summer approaches – the predicted temperatures are getting higher. This summer is going to be 33-50 degrees hotter than normal. Now! Is the time to get that AC serviced – or if you don’t have one – to think about getting one.

Check it out for yourself: http://www.weather.gov/climate/l3mto.php

Its going to get HOT!

This summer is going to be HOT!

With all of the anomaly-like weather we have had this year, doesn't it make sense that the summer is going to be 30-40 degrees hotter than normal?

According to the National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center, visit for yourself at http://www.cpc.noaa.gov summer 2009, is going to be quite the hot one in Southern California.



What does that mean if you don't have air conditioning in your home? That you are going to be really hot...

What does that mean if your air conditioning system hasn't been serviced this year yet? That it is probably going to "putter" out during the hottest day of the year and you will have family visiting...and no air.

What does that mean if your air conditioner doesn't break down? That it is going to be working over time...and not running efficiently.

How to fix these things?

1. Make sure your air system is serviced before the heat of summer. A qualified technician will ensure that everything is clean, the refrigerant is fully charged, nothing is leaking and/or overflowing, there is no corrosion or build-up and that the electrical and wiring is operating correctly.
2. Run your air conditioner according to the energy star recommendations - set your thermostat to around 75 if you can stand it. Your air system will not cool faster if you crank the numbers down to 60 degrees, so your house will still be the same temperature and your bills will be super high - plus, if your system is correctly sized, if you set your thermostat super low, it will turn off too quickly - before the house is completely (equally) cooled.
3. Make sure your system is up-to-date. If your system was installed in the 1980s or 1990s, it is running at a way lower SEER (efficiency ratio) than units installed today. You want to think about it: If your unit is on all the time (as warranted by 30-40 degrees above normal heat) do you want it to be as efficient as possible? The answer is YES - because that saves you in energy costs. If you run an energy efficient unit, you could save around $40 for every $100 a normal energy bill would come to (meaning you are paying $60 not $100...).

So make sure that you have completely examined your options this summer, before that first energy bill lands on your porch.

It's October...Apparently no one told the weather...

It's fall...officially, and now October - the time of pumpkins, leaves and horns of plenty. In California, also time for a bathing suit? We are experiencing a wave of heat before the weather turns fall like, and while we are a good 20 degrees over normal we're not shattering any records. According to the weather page on USA TODAY.com Covina's high for today is 98 degrees, with a humidity of 20%. According to the heat index that 20% humidity puts us in the "extreme caution" (yellow) category. While this may not seem like anything to get too alarmed about, the temperature does have a huge impact on older people, young children and animals. Like, it might not be the smartest idea one has ever had to take their dog out walking with them to pick up their child from school. In this heat, the dog and the child aren't going to do well. Just something to keep in mind...

Today's Outlook for Megawatt Usage?

The California ISO is a non-profit that mediates between the power companies (available power) and the consumers (wanted power). This interesting relationship is portrayed on their website www.caiso.com/ where they provide an graph of today's megawatt output and demand, right next to a conserve-o-meter. Kinda funny, but really helpful and easy to understand. On warm days like this, when all of California rushes to turn on their air conditoning en masse (I even got a call from Ranchos Palos Verdes today saying they were cranking on their air), it's easy to forget what exactly is happening to the power grid. Here is today's graph: Right now (as shown also on the graph) we are at peak demand! That's tough. Conserve where you can by turning off and un plugging appliances that you aren't using and waiting to run laundry or dish-washers after 7pm.

How Hot is it Going to Get This Summer?

Why should I care how hot it is going to get this summer? Because, especially in the city, heat stroke can be very dangerous to the elderly or young children. The Red Cross has a brochure that can be downloaded as PDF or plain text that explains the possible dangers of the summer heat. http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/brochures/heatwave.pdf Here is the link for the PDF, a tri-fold brochure with a wealth of information. What I found most interesting on the site was their Heat Index Chart. This chart compares temperature and humidity and categorizes each "relative temperature" according to a color. This graph can be found at: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/heat/index.shtml There are also other links on the page to different heat awareness resources including a checklist to see if your family is prepared for a heatwave. According to the National Weather Service, Office of Climate, Water and Weather Services even temperatures beginning at 91 degrees can be dangerous. The Red Cross (as part of their brochure) has more information about preparadness and avoidance of heat-related illnesses. On their web page: http://www.redcross.org/services/prepare/0,1082,0_243_,00.html The American Red Cross gives these tips for preparation for the summer months: If a Heat Wave Is Predicted or Happening... Slow down. Avoid strenuous activity. If you must do strenuous activity, do it during the coolest part of the day, which is usually in the morning between 4:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. Stay indoors as much as possible. If air conditioning is not available, stay on the lowest floor, out of the sunshine. Try to go to a public building with air conditioning each day for several hours. Remember, electric fans do not cool the air, but they do help sweat evaporate, which cools your body. Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing. Light colors will reflect away some of the sun's energy. Drink plenty of water regularly and often. Your body needs water to keep cool. Drink plenty of fluids even if you do not feel thirsty. Water is the safest liquid to drink during heat emergencies. Avoid drinks with alcohol or caffeine in them. They can make you feel good briefly, but make the heat's effects on your body worse. This is especially true about beer, which dehydrates the body. Eat small meals and eat more often. Avoid foods that are high in protein, which increase metabolic heat. Avoid using salt tablets unless directed to do so by a physician.

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So what does this have to do with us? Here is the weather forcast for this Saturday, June the 14th on a large scale, national map. Look at the heat index when applied to an actual place, and then I'm sure the importance of paying attention to your heat behaviors will be more important! Click on this link and check out the image of the United States as the projected temperatures for Saturday. http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/heat_index_MAX/bchi_day3.html

Keep checking back for more updates!