As Ed McMahon Used to Say. "How Hot Was It?"

Post by **tex** » Tue Jul 24, 2018 7:19 am

114 degrees, for an all time record at the official weather station in Waco, TX. Temple had 112 degrees, and I live about 12 miles south of there, as the crow flies. Just about everyone in Central Texas has had their share of hot weather for the past week or so, and they were mighty glad to finally see a "cold front" blow through yesterday. But the norther didn't cool it down much. It was still 88 degrees at midnight here, and 82 degrees this morning at sunrise for the low of the day. But at least the high is predicted to only be 100 today, before it begins to go up again, tomorrow.

It was so hot that the pressure relief popoff valve on the propane storage tank (for the forklift fuel) at the grain handling facility that I used to own (but sold a few years ago to a neighbor) popped off and spewed propane until it was cooled down with water. With all the electric switches, relays, and motors running, that created a very dangerous situation. But fortunately we were able to cool the tank down before anything set off an explosion. That's the first time I've ever seen it get hot enough to cause one of those popoff valves to blow, and I've been around since before propane became available as a fuel.

Tex

skp · Post by **skp** » Tue Jul 24, 2018 7:57 am

I can't imagine that kind of heat, Tex. It's fortunate that you and others were able to prevent what could have been a serious event. Keep cool, as I know you will.

Susan

Erica P-G · Post by **Erica P-G** » Tue Jul 24, 2018 2:56 pm

I can only hope you have dry heat as we do here in SE Washington State....otherwise that is blistering heat to the body and everything it touches. Our high lately has been 107 today it is 99 ;-)

Good thing no sparks flew in your situation!

Post by **tex** » Tue Jul 24, 2018 4:25 pm

I suppose that's why the norther didn't cool it down very much — it's hot in a lot of places. It was kind of pathetic in that the TV meteorologists were using computer models that predicted rain, and there were showers on the radar, but none of it was reaching the ground.

Meteorologists used to know how to predict the weather. Today they only know how to turn on a computer.

Tex

tommyboywalker · Post by **tommyboywalker** » Tue Jul 24, 2018 4:46 pm

Wow, looks like much of the country is either suffering from extreme heat or flooding on the other side of the country.

I feel for you Tex. Good thing you were able to solve that propane issue before it turned dangerous and caused an explosion.

I'm in central MN and the high on Thursday here is supposed to be 66. That is our first glimpse of fall air; I sure hope your TX temps drop in the near future.

Post by **tex** » Tue Jul 24, 2018 5:01 pm

66?

Another norther is scheduled for Monday. Sounds like it may have a bit more punch.

Marcia K · Post by **Marcia K** » Wed Jul 25, 2018 5:30 pm

Wow, we could use some of that heat to dry things up. I'm glad there wasn't an explosion! I live in PA where it is flooding. So far my sump pump is keeping it at bay but we're having another downpour now. I'm thrilled that my insides are staying where they belong (at this point). Last night we tried to move as much as we could from our finished basement to the first floor. We had 2.5 feet of water down there in 2011. If it comes in this time, no more finished basement. My washer & dryer are down there, though. It's going to be a long night.

Post by **tex** » Wed Jul 25, 2018 6:21 pm

Wish I could sent some of this heat up there. It's still in the 102–103 degree range. (That's about 39 degrees Centigrade).

Marcia wrote:We had 2.5 feet of water down there in 2011.

Now that's an interesting coincidence (or maybe it's not a coincidence) — 2011 is when we had our last major drought with record-setting temperatures. We normally get at least 21 inches of rain by now. This year, we've had 11-1/2. In 2011, by now we had 7-1/2 inches. Looks like floods in Pennsylvania are somehow associated with droughts in Texas.

Tex

Marcia K · Post by **Marcia K** » Thu Jul 26, 2018 5:38 am

That is interesting, Tex. We certainly could use some of your heat. So far we're holding our own. One wet spot on the concrete floor in the storage area. More rain is expected today & tomorrow. You just wonder how much it can rain. I am very grateful at this point that we are still dry. If you google Hershey Park and the Swatara Creek, those areas are close to where I live. It's devastating to see the damage.

grannykathy · Post by **grannykathy** » Thu Jul 26, 2018 7:53 am

Up here in Northern OK it has been brutal also. We had a couple days of 109 110 with a heat index of 114. The humidity has been the worst of it. Even on 90 degree days its miserable walking my little dogs. We have to either go early or late and its still not pleasant. So ready for Fall. If we have a Fall. Seems like the last few years we go from Summer to Winter and then back to Summer again. But still - so many blessings and much to be thankful for.

Post by **tex** » Thu Jul 26, 2018 9:22 am

I hear you about the blessings. Yesterday the air conditioner in my "office" quit. Several years ago I set up a workroom/office/hideaway in an old school bus where I could write without anyone disturbing me. You can imagine how hot it gets in a tin can out in the sun when the temperature is over a hundred. But it's a blessing that it didn't quit a week ago when it was really hot. It's a blessing that the humidity was very low yesterday. And it's a blessing that Amazon will deliver a new one today (bless their corporate hearts), without any extra charge.

Tex