IT'S HOT

20 July 2022

I felt almost guilty snuggled under a warm blanKet watching the weather reports this morning.  But it was cold in our family room.  No matter the temperature during the day, it usually cools off at night and Walt opens the windows to let the cool air in, and then shuts them when the weather starts to heat up during the day.

I remember being in Houston one summer, when it was over 100 every day.  I woke up at 2 a.m. and went outside to cool off...and discovered that it did not cool down in Houston, but that it was pretty much as hot as it had been during the day.

Temperatures across the country...and apparently all across the northern hemisphere, are soaring (how nice to be in Australia, where it is winter). 

It doesn't feel that strange here, since this is the time of year where we are used to temperatures in the 90s and 100s.

This is pretty normal temperature for July and August.  But there was a great discussion on Facebook, which I loved.  The question was:  "Just for fun, fill in the blank:
You know it's hot in Sacramento when ...." 

These were some of the answers

Linda DuBois
I'll start! ... you turn on the cold water faucet to wash your hands and almost burn yourself.

Sabrina Carroll
Your 'hot' shower is dialed mostly to the cold position.

Kim Orendor
When you get up at 7 am to do your outdoor chores before it hits 100 at noon.

Jennifer Rihl
You know to bring a towel with you so you can put it down on your leather seats.

Allison Denmark Shaw
You start your errands with a cup of iced tea and come home with a cup of hot tea (same tea).

Bev Sykes
You no longer see squirrels

James Lee Jobe
You see a squirrel frying his nuts on the sidewalk.

Carol Terracina Hartman
Your kneecaps perspire

Sandy Selland

Kate Laddish
You touch the window glass, instead of opening the window, to gauge how freakishly hot it is outside.

Robyn Slakey Artist
You see EVERYONE wearing shorts. Even people who shouldn't!!

Linda DuBois
When you hear yourself say out loud, Oh good! It's cooling off! It's only going to be 102 tomorrow!

Geri Harris
This is out today in Texas

It got up to 116.

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I see the temperatures around this country and in Europe and it doesn't seem that bad because we are so used to them, but, for example, on Tuesday, parts of England hit a temperature above 104 degrees Fahrenheit -- a first in the U.K.'s recorded history.

It could be easy for Americans to wonder why the extreme heat has been so disruptive in the U.K.

In short: Because it's not a common occurrence there, the country and its residents are less equipped to deal with heat, officials and experts say -- even as climate change means extreme days are more likely in the years to come.  Only about 5% of homes in England have air conditioning and I read somewhere that the houses are built to retain the heat, because there is so much cold weather.  Temperatures as hot as those recorded Tuesday are typically expected in the U.K. once every 100 to 300 years, according to the Met Office.

Is it too soon to discuss climate change?