Heatpocalypse Upon Us, Shelter in Place!

By Jeff — Jeff Wilson

Those of you who have read this blog for years know that one of my favorite things to do is bitch about summer time heat waves. And so the tradition continues today with this warning from the National Weather Service:

… Excessive heat warning in effect from 11 am this morning to
9 PM PDT Friday…
… Excessive heat watch in effect from Saturday morning through
Saturday evening…

The National Weather Service in Los Angeles/Oxnard has issued an
excessive heat warning for the San Fernando and Santa Clarita
valleys… and the Santa Monica Mountains. This warning is in
effect from 11 am this morning to 9 PM PDT Friday. An excessive
heat watch has also been issued… and is in effect from Saturday
morning through Saturday evening.

* Temperature: heat index readings… a measure of the level of
discomfort caused by the combination of heat and humidity…
will rise to between 105 and 110 degrees during the late
morning through early evening hours each day.

* Impacts: heat stroke… heat exhaustion… heat cramps and
sunburn could be possible.

Precautionary/preparedness actions…

An excessive heat warning means that a prolonged period of
dangerously hot temperatures will occur. The combination of hot
temperatures and high humidity will combine to create a dangerous
situation in which heat illnesses are likely. Drink plenty of
fluids… stay in an air-conditioned room… stay out of the sun…
and check up on relatives and neighbors. Never ever leave
children… the elderly or pets in enclosed automobiles… even for
a short period of time. Even if the windows are partially open…
temperatures can quickly rise to life threatening levels.

Good lord. It’s only 9:45 am and it’s already 95 out according to Weather Underground, which is about 10 degrees higher than where I like the thermometer to be. When we start talking about 105 to 110, well, I kind of lose my mind and ponder abandoning my home and all who I love and driving as fast as possible to the beach. At temperatures beyond 110 (as happened in 2007, I think, when Saugus hit an unholy 116), I typically get into my bathing suit, hop in a bathtub of ice, point every available fan on the house at myself and imagine myself to be Edward Shackleton, famed explorer of the Antarctic.

Even my dog has problems with the heat. Every dog loves to go for walks, but my dog will literally refuse to walk for more than 10 minutes if the mercury is above 90. Sometimes he’ll just crash into the nearest shady spot on grass and refuse to budge, looking up at me as if I’m the one who put the heat on.

On really hot days like this, the normally wonderful SCV summertime evenings offer no relief. The pavement stays warm for most of the night, the air hangs hot and dry, and my normal heat-control protocols (box fan in windows come sundown) goes out the window and I have to run the A/C all night or I will get no sleep.

What do you do to stay cool on days like this?

ON THE WEB:

Weather Underground

SantaClaritaWeather.com

Comments (36)

navigatorJuly 15, 2010 at 8:50 am

If I don’t have an meetings pending (none tonight) I jump in the pool when I get home. The water is still around 70

Berta González-HarperJuly 15, 2010 at 9:43 am

Hey, you are back Jeff! I love the picture; it is so cute. Like Navigator, if I have no meetings or other obligations away from home, when it climbs over 100 degrees my “girls” and I stay indoors near the AC vent and watch Animal Planet together with a nice big glass (or bowl) of ice water with a slice of fresh lemon.

ToddJuly 15, 2010 at 9:39 am

I get to luck out today, a full day of work, followed by a full night of grad school. I’d like to thank the City of Burbank and College of the Canyons for keeping me cool today! But, it did suck to wake up this morning at 5:45 and already be sweating. At 6am, the pre-programmed thermostat clicked the air conditioning on (set to a balmy 78*) and I knew today would not necessarily be a cool day.

KLBJuly 15, 2010 at 9:45 am

Central A/C at home is slammed down to 40 degrees. Ha! You think I’m kidding. The hubby slams the thermostat down while I’m at work and puts it back to 78 when I get home so I won’t scold him for wasting energy. What else could explain our over $600 electric bills in the summer? Hubby, I’m on to you! And to think, I purposely spent the weekend in Palm Desert a few weeks ago for exactly this kind of heat. But I spent the entire time in the pool with a drink in my hand. Maybe I’ll spend this weekend in the pool and pretend I’m on vacation somewhere tropical.

IHeartSCVJuly 15, 2010 at 9:50 am

Use one of those hydro-gel neck wraps. You soak it for half and hour, tie it around your neck, and it provides hours of evaporative cooling that actually works. The easiest way to get one in the SCV is by entering a charity golf tournament (there is always one in the swag bag–or so I’ve heard); otherwise they’re $10 at REI.

Sean "1978" MorrisseyJuly 15, 2010 at 10:29 am

@IheartSCV great idea, will be off to REI tonight!

Whiskey Tango FoxtrotJuly 15, 2010 at 10:39 am

The over – under on a brown out is 6:45pm.

JoeJuly 15, 2010 at 10:42 am

I biked to work today, and it was already hot at 6am when I started. Biking back is going to not be fun. Maybe I’ll just spend the night here.

Tim MyersJuly 15, 2010 at 10:55 am

When did the whole world become wimps? During our teen years my brother, male cousins and I would make 40 acres of hay under these conditions and though we bitched like crazy it NEVER occurred to us that excessive heat would get us out of our appointed task. (Talk about a motivation for a college education!)

townbeetJuly 15, 2010 at 10:56 am

icy lemon water with mint….and staying indoors…you won’t see me mingling with the “Marco-Polo” fools in the community pools.

townbeetJuly 15, 2010 at 11:36 am

“Gasp” :p

Pauline HarteJuly 15, 2010 at 11:20 am

Wear wet clothes. Wear a black T-shirt or tank top and no one will notice that it’s damp. I have been out doing yard work and I wouldn’t survive this heat without this basic survival must. But I keep my clothes wet indoors, too, then I don’t have to turn on the air cuz summertime electric bills are a budget killer.

ReaderMamaJuly 15, 2010 at 12:24 pm

Excellent suggestion, Pauline. I always think that advice could save lives when these killer heat waves hit back east. When I was in high school my parents decided they could either afford A/C or a pool. They chose the pool. On those killer hot days when there were household chores that needed to be done, my mother and I would put on wet bathing suits to work. It really does make a difference. I have also seen people in amusement parks who wet down their shirts and hats. (Can you imagine Disneyland on a day like today — with water $4 a pop?) We keep the thermostat set at 79 in the house during the heat of the day, but in the evenings we turn it off , open up the windows and turn on the fans. It is a very, very rare thing for us to sleep with the air on. It’s just too expensive. My head would explode if I opened up an electric bill for $600.

Pauline HarteJuly 15, 2010 at 11:26 am

Joe says: July 15, 2010 at 10:42 am “I biked to work today, and it was already hot at 6am when I started. Biking back is going to not be fun. Maybe I’ll just spend the night here.” Just wet your shirt, wring it out (I am assuming you have access to a bathroom) and the breeze on your wet clothing will feel great.

JoeJuly 15, 2010 at 11:28 am

I might just do that. Or go shirtless I bring a change of clothes, so I can bike in bike shorts and bike sandles instead of stuff I need to dress up for work. That goes in the bag on the back of the bike.

Meli_HJuly 15, 2010 at 1:16 pm

I normally don’t use the A/C either, usually just use the ceiling fans and open windows in the evenings. I have thick long hair and normally, dont go to bed with my hair wet from the shower. However, in this heat, going to bed with my hair wet is the only way I can sleep, or else I’ll wake up in the middle of the night, sweating! It really does keep me cool.

Christine KudijaJuly 15, 2010 at 2:59 pm

I regretfully run the A/C in my home office and dream of retiring to norCal – east bay area, where the fog that I hated while growing up is now a fond memory. I am a wimp in the heat and have resented this summer heat for the 30 years I’ve lived in the SCV. The husband’s job is to blame! Was it only a week ago I was hiking in Towsley in the fog???????

JeffJuly 15, 2010 at 3:01 pm

AMEN. Resentment is how I feel about it. I’m an outdoorsy person but I simply can’t handle being outside on days like this. I get all wimpy and light headed. Can’t imagine what our Soldiers and Marines went through in the middle east.

AlpinerJuly 15, 2010 at 4:01 pm

I have always disliked the heat. It was 109 on my outdoor thermometer at 4 p.m. I can hear my grass dying as I write this…..

ToddJuly 15, 2010 at 4:03 pm

107 in the Newhall Pass at 5:00pm. Yikes

WalkerJuly 15, 2010 at 4:03 pm

We went to the mall to enjoy the free AC…..but I’m pretty sure their air conditioning was broken LOL. It was hotter than heck, kind of stinky, and some loud fan (sounded like an exhaust fan of some sort?) kept coming on and off. Oh well! We’ll try the free AC at the library tomorrow

BrianJuly 15, 2010 at 4:17 pm

But it’s a dry heat. 24% humidity is dry, right? I need to mow the lawn and I think 7am is my only time. Yes, I do my own gardening.

AlpinerJuly 15, 2010 at 4:32 pm

Any time anyone tells me that its okay because it is a “dry heat” my response always is so is the heat in your oven, but you don’t stick your head in it!

JayceJuly 16, 2010 at 7:55 am

Hah good one Alpiner I’ll have to remember to use that

ToddJuly 16, 2010 at 7:57 am

LOL. If you could set your oven to be something less than 250*, I’d bet you would find it quite comfortable. Go to Phoenix in August, then go to South Florida. Tell me where you’re more comfortable. I’m betting Phoenix. Even though its 115* vs Florida’s 95. When I left this morning it was 76* and 51% humidity… and it felt awful compared to yesterday morning when it was 83* and 37% humidity.

GangFangJuly 15, 2010 at 4:48 pm

It’s hot, but not death outside. When it gets to be too much, I soothe my bat wings with a day in the pool with the outdoor stereo blasting some Mingus, Black Flag, and Public Enemy. Later on, Terrence the ice cream man will come by and hook my ass up. Then go on a hike later, followed by more pool action.

BrianJuly 17, 2010 at 12:11 am

Who? Damn I’m gettin’ old.

ReaderMamaJuly 15, 2010 at 4:49 pm

It’s almost 6:00 p.m. and still 106 on my patio. Looking forward to the sun going down . . .

KimJuly 15, 2010 at 6:59 pm

Check out the temperature of the pavement when deciding to go for a walk with the pooch. It gets very hot and the dogs are much closer to the ground than we are. It can be brutal on their pads and tummy. No wonder they want to lie in a shady spot instead. Wait til dark or go early in the morning.

TeresaToddJuly 16, 2010 at 7:57 am

Outdoor MISTERS!!! Cools the outdoor temp by 20 degrees almost immediately, works during a power outage, and makes these hot days/nights almost tolerable. On hot days like these, we run them when we get home from work and turn them off when the sun starts to set (too wet, otherwise). Sam’s Club has them back in stock.

ToddJuly 16, 2010 at 7:59 am

They’re good, but due to the hardness of our water, you gotta remember to pull those valves and clean em regularly, otherwise their efficiency drops significantly. You can get inline filters that work OK, but with how hard our water is, they run out of filtration capability quick.

j9July 21, 2010 at 7:45 am

Wow…always the water guy!

navigatorJuly 16, 2010 at 8:56 am

Talk about humidity! It’s 90 and I’m watching my car get screwed up by rain drops.

KellyJuly 16, 2010 at 9:06 am

Welcome Back, Jeff! I will be in the heat this Saturday, (trying not to melt), at the Championship Swim meet for the 4 community HOAs including the Summit. Should be good times.

Brenda (fred's wifeJuly 16, 2010 at 10:07 am

Be thankful I don’t live in Arizona!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! drink a homemade smoothie, use a Vornado fan to pull the cold air out and up (our vents are in the floor). Install dual-pane windows – our first new home has them and our place is 20 degrees cooler and our electric bill $100 less.

Pauline HarteJuly 16, 2010 at 5:36 pm

I have to say, today was really a bitch! How do people live in sultry climates, I sure can’t. Reader Mama, getting a pool instead of air conditioning was really smart! Kids are forced to cool off by exercising, instead of sitting inside on the couch in front of the TV all summer. Hi Jaycee, Annette told me some time back that you said hi to me in a thread, but I couldn’t remember what I had posted in to get back to hi you back! I go for days, even weeks, occasionally, without even going on my computer. So…..HI!

navigatorJuly 15, 2010 at 8:50 am
If I don’t have an meetings pending (none tonight) I jump in the pool when I get home. The water is still around 70
Berta González-HarperJuly 15, 2010 at 9:43 am
Hey, you are back Jeff! I love the picture; it is so cute. Like Navigator, if I have no meetings or other obligations away from home, when it climbs over 100 degrees my “girls” and I stay indoors near the AC vent and watch Animal Planet together with a nice big glass (or bowl) of ice water with a slice of fresh lemon.
ToddJuly 15, 2010 at 9:39 am
I get to luck out today, a full day of work, followed by a full night of grad school. I’d like to thank the City of Burbank and College of the Canyons for keeping me cool today! But, it did suck to wake up this morning at 5:45 and already be sweating. At 6am, the pre-programmed thermostat clicked the air conditioning on (set to a balmy 78*) and I knew today would not necessarily be a cool day.
KLBJuly 15, 2010 at 9:45 am
Central A/C at home is slammed down to 40 degrees. Ha! You think I’m kidding. The hubby slams the thermostat down while I’m at work and puts it back to 78 when I get home so I won’t scold him for wasting energy. What else could explain our over $600 electric bills in the summer? Hubby, I’m on to you! And to think, I purposely spent the weekend in Palm Desert a few weeks ago for exactly this kind of heat. But I spent the entire time in the pool with a drink in my hand. Maybe I’ll spend this weekend in the pool and pretend I’m on vacation somewhere tropical.
IHeartSCVJuly 15, 2010 at 9:50 am
Use one of those hydro-gel neck wraps. You soak it for half and hour, tie it around your neck, and it provides hours of evaporative cooling that actually works. The easiest way to get one in the SCV is by entering a charity golf tournament (there is always one in the swag bag–or so I’ve heard); otherwise they’re $10 at REI.
Sean "1978" MorrisseyJuly 15, 2010 at 10:29 am
@IheartSCV great idea, will be off to REI tonight!
Whiskey Tango FoxtrotJuly 15, 2010 at 10:39 am
The over – under on a brown out is 6:45pm.
JoeJuly 15, 2010 at 10:42 am
I biked to work today, and it was already hot at 6am when I started. Biking back is going to not be fun. Maybe I’ll just spend the night here.
Tim MyersJuly 15, 2010 at 10:55 am
When did the whole world become wimps? During our teen years my brother, male cousins and I would make 40 acres of hay under these conditions and though we bitched like crazy it NEVER occurred to us that excessive heat would get us out of our appointed task. (Talk about a motivation for a college education!)
townbeetJuly 15, 2010 at 10:56 am
icy lemon water with mint….and staying indoors…you won’t see me mingling with the “Marco-Polo” fools in the community pools.
townbeetJuly 15, 2010 at 11:36 am
“Gasp” :p
Pauline HarteJuly 15, 2010 at 11:20 am
Wear wet clothes. Wear a black T-shirt or tank top and no one will notice that it’s damp. I have been out doing yard work and I wouldn’t survive this heat without this basic survival must. But I keep my clothes wet indoors, too, then I don’t have to turn on the air cuz summertime electric bills are a budget killer.
ReaderMamaJuly 15, 2010 at 12:24 pm
Excellent suggestion, Pauline. I always think that advice could save lives when these killer heat waves hit back east. When I was in high school my parents decided they could either afford A/C or a pool. They chose the pool. On those killer hot days when there were household chores that needed to be done, my mother and I would put on wet bathing suits to work. It really does make a difference. I have also seen people in amusement parks who wet down their shirts and hats. (Can you imagine Disneyland on a day like today — with water $4 a pop?) We keep the thermostat set at 79 in the house during the heat of the day, but in the evenings we turn it off , open up the windows and turn on the fans. It is a very, very rare thing for us to sleep with the air on. It’s just too expensive. My head would explode if I opened up an electric bill for $600.
Pauline HarteJuly 15, 2010 at 11:26 am
Joe says: July 15, 2010 at 10:42 am “I biked to work today, and it was already hot at 6am when I started. Biking back is going to not be fun. Maybe I’ll just spend the night here.” Just wet your shirt, wring it out (I am assuming you have access to a bathroom) and the breeze on your wet clothing will feel great.
JoeJuly 15, 2010 at 11:28 am
I might just do that. Or go shirtless I bring a change of clothes, so I can bike in bike shorts and bike sandles instead of stuff I need to dress up for work. That goes in the bag on the back of the bike.
Meli_HJuly 15, 2010 at 1:16 pm
I normally don’t use the A/C either, usually just use the ceiling fans and open windows in the evenings. I have thick long hair and normally, dont go to bed with my hair wet from the shower. However, in this heat, going to bed with my hair wet is the only way I can sleep, or else I’ll wake up in the middle of the night, sweating! It really does keep me cool.
Christine KudijaJuly 15, 2010 at 2:59 pm
I regretfully run the A/C in my home office and dream of retiring to norCal – east bay area, where the fog that I hated while growing up is now a fond memory. I am a wimp in the heat and have resented this summer heat for the 30 years I’ve lived in the SCV. The husband’s job is to blame! Was it only a week ago I was hiking in Towsley in the fog???????
JeffJuly 15, 2010 at 3:01 pm
AMEN. Resentment is how I feel about it. I’m an outdoorsy person but I simply can’t handle being outside on days like this. I get all wimpy and light headed. Can’t imagine what our Soldiers and Marines went through in the middle east.
AlpinerJuly 15, 2010 at 4:01 pm
I have always disliked the heat. It was 109 on my outdoor thermometer at 4 p.m. I can hear my grass dying as I write this…..
ToddJuly 15, 2010 at 4:03 pm
107 in the Newhall Pass at 5:00pm. Yikes
WalkerJuly 15, 2010 at 4:03 pm
We went to the mall to enjoy the free AC…..but I’m pretty sure their air conditioning was broken LOL. It was hotter than heck, kind of stinky, and some loud fan (sounded like an exhaust fan of some sort?) kept coming on and off. Oh well! We’ll try the free AC at the library tomorrow
BrianJuly 15, 2010 at 4:17 pm
But it’s a dry heat. 24% humidity is dry, right? I need to mow the lawn and I think 7am is my only time. Yes, I do my own gardening.
AlpinerJuly 15, 2010 at 4:32 pm
Any time anyone tells me that its okay because it is a “dry heat” my response always is so is the heat in your oven, but you don’t stick your head in it!
JayceJuly 16, 2010 at 7:55 am
Hah good one Alpiner I’ll have to remember to use that
ToddJuly 16, 2010 at 7:57 am
LOL. If you could set your oven to be something less than 250*, I’d bet you would find it quite comfortable. Go to Phoenix in August, then go to South Florida. Tell me where you’re more comfortable. I’m betting Phoenix. Even though its 115* vs Florida’s 95. When I left this morning it was 76* and 51% humidity… and it felt awful compared to yesterday morning when it was 83* and 37% humidity.
GangFangJuly 15, 2010 at 4:48 pm
It’s hot, but not death outside. When it gets to be too much, I soothe my bat wings with a day in the pool with the outdoor stereo blasting some Mingus, Black Flag, and Public Enemy. Later on, Terrence the ice cream man will come by and hook my ass up. Then go on a hike later, followed by more pool action.
BrianJuly 17, 2010 at 12:11 am
Who? Damn I’m gettin’ old.
ReaderMamaJuly 15, 2010 at 4:49 pm
It’s almost 6:00 p.m. and still 106 on my patio. Looking forward to the sun going down . . .
KimJuly 15, 2010 at 6:59 pm
Check out the temperature of the pavement when deciding to go for a walk with the pooch. It gets very hot and the dogs are much closer to the ground than we are. It can be brutal on their pads and tummy. No wonder they want to lie in a shady spot instead. Wait til dark or go early in the morning.
TeresaToddJuly 16, 2010 at 7:57 am
Outdoor MISTERS!!! Cools the outdoor temp by 20 degrees almost immediately, works during a power outage, and makes these hot days/nights almost tolerable. On hot days like these, we run them when we get home from work and turn them off when the sun starts to set (too wet, otherwise). Sam’s Club has them back in stock.
ToddJuly 16, 2010 at 7:59 am
They’re good, but due to the hardness of our water, you gotta remember to pull those valves and clean em regularly, otherwise their efficiency drops significantly. You can get inline filters that work OK, but with how hard our water is, they run out of filtration capability quick.
j9July 21, 2010 at 7:45 am
Wow…always the water guy!
navigatorJuly 16, 2010 at 8:56 am
Talk about humidity! It’s 90 and I’m watching my car get screwed up by rain drops.
KellyJuly 16, 2010 at 9:06 am
Welcome Back, Jeff! I will be in the heat this Saturday, (trying not to melt), at the Championship Swim meet for the 4 community HOAs including the Summit. Should be good times.
Brenda (fred's wifeJuly 16, 2010 at 10:07 am
Be thankful I don’t live in Arizona!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! drink a homemade smoothie, use a Vornado fan to pull the cold air out and up (our vents are in the floor). Install dual-pane windows – our first new home has them and our place is 20 degrees cooler and our electric bill $100 less.
Pauline HarteJuly 16, 2010 at 5:36 pm
I have to say, today was really a bitch! How do people live in sultry climates, I sure can’t. Reader Mama, getting a pool instead of air conditioning was really smart! Kids are forced to cool off by exercising, instead of sitting inside on the couch in front of the TV all summer. Hi Jaycee, Annette told me some time back that you said hi to me in a thread, but I couldn’t remember what I had posted in to get back to hi you back! I go for days, even weeks, occasionally, without even going on my computer. So…..HI!