Friday, July 06, 2012

Too hot, too long

It's been over 95º, sometimes (like today) over 100º, every day for the last 8 days. At night the mercury doesn't dip to less than 85º, so there's no opportunity for the sidewalks, streets and brick buildings to cool down. Pavement is beginning to buckle. The heat index -- the way the air feels on skin -- is 125º.

It continues into tomorrow. It has not been this hot, this long, since 1995. (THIS JUST IN: It hasn't been this hot, this long, here in Chicago since the 1940s.) It's hard to take. I feel like I'm being held hostage indoors -- just the two block walk from the el stop left my t-shirt stuck to my back with sweat.

Worse, the little window air conditioner in my bedroom has quit pulling its weight. It's better than just the fan -- much better, in fact -- but it's still not cool. I think it's all that unremitting afternoon sun. I have cleaned and recleaned the filter and removed as much cat hair as I could from every nook and cranny I could reach. I want to give it a fighting chance.

Tomorrow night it's finally supposed to rain and then (bliss!) finally dip down into the 70s. I dream of being able to walk outside again!


4 comments:

  1. Gal today in St Louis...106~~ I am with you this heat is making me cranky...or then usual! We don't get a break till Sunday or Monday. I am ready for winter!

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  2. So sorry you're trapped in the heat wave. I get absolutely miserable and cranky and beside myself when it's like that here.

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  3. Anonymous10:39 PM

    That's horrible. I don't do well in the heat either (end up feeling sick very quickly) so you definitely have my sympathies. I definitely feel much more appreciative of the tolerable heat here in the mountains.

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  4. Anonymous11:02 PM

    Wow, that does stink, doesn't it?

    It's been just awful here, too. We had a "cousin party" today (15 people, thank goodness for the smallish crowd) and even the kids stayed inside all day due to the 102 temps. Even inside, our usually adequate central air had a hard time keeping up and never got within 8 degrees of the temp I actually set it at.

    It's very pleasant right now - high 70s, and I've opened all the windows - and is supposed to be in the 80s for the next few days, then back to the 90s starting on Friday.

    We've had some really bad storms in the area over the past few days, too, and tons of power outages (not for us, thankfully). Two of my relatives' houses were without power for 48 hours when it was this how.

    I guess maybe this is what "climate change" looks like, eh?

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