Phew! Wot a Scorcher!

Silly Moustache · #1 07-11-2018, 09:33 AM

That was a Newspaper headline in the UK back in , I think, 1976, when the UK (and presumably Western Europe) had an unprecedented heatwave.

In the UK and much of Western Europe we have had remarkably hot days and muggy nights and crops are not flourishing.

To say that we have been trying to cope with temps in the mid 90s (F) will probably make many of my American friends scoff with contempt as many will be accustomed to such heat and plenty more.
I understand that, but we are NOT accustomed to then, . We don't have Air-Conditioning in domestic homes and not in many shops and businesses.

Last weekend down here in the "sunny south" it has been remarkably hot. Usually we have this sort of weather in August and then an great thunderstorm which cleans matters up (and sometimes causes some flash floods).

I've been in Texas in October and I don't know how people live in such heat and humidity.

Anyway, at least my guitars are in about the right RH at present! That's the most important thing - right?

Nyghthawk · #2 07-11-2018, 10:21 AM

Silly, whereas it is true we have (fill in expletive of your choice) hot weather in Texas (May thru October), we also have air conditioners in our homes, our cars, our workspaces, and our businesses. For you guys the mid 90's must be absolutely miserable!

Jim Owen · #3 07-11-2018, 10:41 AM

Yes. You have my sympathy Silly. I was in Oxford for one of the hottest summer days on record, and it rivaled heat waves in my native south.

I'm starting to feel the heat in the foothills of NC. I have never had air conditioning in this old house--I grew up here. But now, it's hot. Fortunately, at night, it cools down and I can sit outside and catch a breeze.

In Georgia (where I work and live 8 months out of the year), I couldn't live without AC. And even that doesn't help as one gets cabin fever from being unable to go outside, even at night. One advantage, if there is one, is that winters in GA are short and generally mild. Can't say the same for up here in NC.

51 Relic · #4 07-11-2018, 11:07 AM

Hi yes really hot and humid on the Isle of Wight . Plants are suffering but I've been practicing early in the morning with the SLG200s . All the other guitars are within range for humidity with Humidipaks in all the cases . Sod's law dictates that I have a gig on Sunday at 15.00 , still looking forward to it . Keep chilled

architype · #5 07-11-2018, 11:48 AM

As a kid in the 1960's and 70's it was usually about one or two weeks in August or early September where the heat and humidity would creep up into the 90's. We didn't have air conditioning, so we relied on window fans. I can still remember laying on sweat soaked sheets at night, trying not to move. Back then it was rare to get temperatures over 100 degrees.

Temps in the 90's are the new "normal" this time of year here in Kentucky.

fazool · #6 07-11-2018, 11:53 AM

People scoff that we live in Buffalo and have to run from our climate controlled homes, into our climate controlled cars then into our climate controlled workplaces, avoiding the cold weather.

But those people will run from their climate controlled homes, into their climate controlled cars then into their climate controlled workplaces, avoiding the hot weather.

I had an office in North Carolina and visited there a few times a year. The heat there was so oppressive as to feel suffocating.

We never had A/C as a kid and, now, I don't know how I survived it.

golfreggie · #7 07-11-2018, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fazool

People scoff that we live in Buffalo and have to run from our climate controlled homes, into our climate controlled cars then into our climate controlled workplaces, avoiding the cold weather.

But those people will run from their climate controlled homes, into their climate controlled cars then into their climate controlled workplaces, avoiding the hot weather.

I had an office in North Carolina and visited there a few times a year. The heat there was so oppressive as to feel suffocating.

We never had A/C as a kid and, now, I don't know how I survived it.

I'm with you Fazool. In KC where I grew up it was really hot in the summer. We grew up without A/C until I was 12 when my folks rented a farm house that had one room a/c in the family room. Slept upstairs with the windows wide open and a large box fan. As a kid I remember we played with the hose, got soaked, went to the pool as often as possible, had fun, etc, but now, geez, how did i survive? We didn't know any better I guess.

N+1 · #8 07-11-2018, 02:54 PM

Yes. It is debilitating, and it seems unprecedented here in NW England. I can't remember anything so extreme before, persisting for so long.

KevWind · #9 07-11-2018, 03:09 PM

We have two places both in the Rocky Mountains. One west slope about 8000 ft in Wyoming and one east slope in Colorado at a bit over 5000 ft.
In Wyoming (where we were for the last 3 weeks) we had quite a few days with temps in the 75-85 range ( which is a little warmer than usual) but it cools right down to 32 to 45 degrees quickly at night, so we have no AC and have yet to need one.

We just yesterday came to Colorado, where it has been pretty consistently in the high 85 to 95 + for several weeks, stays hot well into late nite and we definitely have the AC going here.

Pitar · #10 07-11-2018, 05:20 PM

Our usual mid 90s here in central Florida. No complaints. I always save those for the annual hurricane season we experience. This year I bought a 5500W (running) generator set and a couple window AC units. Last year I had a 3000W generator set but it couldn't keep a reasonable comfort level in the house when hurricane Irma put me without power for a week. Not going to suffer that in mid 90's heat again. I'm looking into a Generac system.

frazervalley · #11 07-12-2018, 12:39 PM

As I age, I seem to be far less heat tolerant as well. The heat just seems to drain the energy right out of my body.

martingitdave · #12 07-12-2018, 12:52 PM

During my recent family road trip vacation to a southern US state, the heat index was 119 F. We rented a condo at a resort through VRBO for a vary reasonable sum. My wife and I were sweltering while the kids seemed impervious. We decided after a week of fighting the heat to throw in the towel and spend the day at the indoor/outdoor swimming facility, which was amazing. Unfortunately, on the hottest of the day, the aforementioned 119 F, after 15 minutes of swimming, some child had an accident in the resort's swimming pool and we were ushered out for 13 hours of cleaning. We spent the rest of our final day of vacation melted in a gooey puddle on the sidewalk. We were forced to feed the children ice cream twice in one day. A medical necessity for sure.

penname · #13 07-12-2018, 01:04 PM

I was stationed at RAF Wethersfield in Essex from 1982 - 1985. I can’t remember which summer but it got so hot the roads were melting. Our house was next to a farmers field with lots of bugs and no window screens, so even opening the windows was not an option.

Recently saw an article online that the roads are melting again this summer in the UK. Hope you get some temperature relief soon.

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/98...-melts-newbury

KevWind · #14 07-12-2018, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by penname

Recently saw an article online that the roads are melting again this summer in the UK. Hope you get some temperature relief soon.

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/98...-melts-newbury

And there in lies a fertile idea for a song

fumei · #15 07-12-2018, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frazervalley

As I age, I seem to be far less heat tolerant as well. The heat just seems to drain the energy right out of my body.

Me too. I lived in India for two years when I was in my 20's. It was very hot (some days 49 degrees C.), but I survived it. Now I am miserable in the high 20's. Don't like it at all.