Heat Wave in Western States

[Halfapint]

Western states have been blasted by a heat wave now for a couple weeks, it's finally moving it's way north to western Oregon and Washington.

My town is expected to hit 100 Saturday, 108 Sunday, and 106 Monday. Western Washington is also has the least amount of AC in the country. I can recall one time in my life we got 100 degrees, and that was 10-12 years ago. I wouldn't be surprised if we see a few people, probably older people, die this week.

The wife and I will be ok, because we have dual AC units need the trailer. Portable AC units are currently sold out all over western Washington. Im trying to make arrangements for my grandparents because the house doesn't have any AC. The downstairs is cool, but grandpa can't make it down or up the stairs. My mom has an extra portable AC unit thst I'm going to get and I may just lock them in their room with the AC unit in there so they can watch TV and be comfortable. I would have the grandparents sit in the trailer but we don't have TV and grandpa would honestly rather die than not be able to stare at the TV for 16 hours a day.

[boskone]

Western states have been blasted by a heat wave now for a couple weeks, it's finally moving it's way north to western Oregon and Washington.

My town is expected to hit 100 Saturday, 108 Sunday, and 106 Monday. Western Washington is also has the least amount of AC in the country. I can recall one time in my life we got 100 degrees, and that was 10-12 years ago. I wouldn't be surprised if we see a few people, probably older people, die this week.

The wife and I will be ok, because we have dual AC units need the trailer. Portable AC units are currently sold out all over western Washington. Im trying to make arrangements for my grandparents because the house doesn't have any AC. The downstairs is cool, but grandpa can't make it down or up the stairs. My mom has an extra portable AC unit thst I'm going to get and I may just lock them in their room with the AC unit in there so they can watch TV and be comfortable. I would have the grandparents sit in the trailer but we don't have TV and grandpa would honestly rather die than not be able to stare at the TV for 16 hours a day.

It's not really timely, but we're in stock around here.  If there's something I can pick up for you and ship your way, let me know.

A dehumidifer can help as well, since sweat will be more efficient at removing heat.  And--I'm sure you know--a fan and copious amounts of water.  Even room-temperature water keeps you hydrated.  Keep electrolytes up; salt, potassium, and calcium.

Best luck to you.  :\

[zombie261]

Mod edit: Rules 4 and 7.

Discussion is the heat wave, and offering help to those effected by it.

[Tony D Tiger]

I commented to a friend that an overlooked consequence of the heatwave will be lack of sleep, and increased risk due to that effect.

When people are hot and sweaty, they hurry, skip steps or "shortcut" procedures... add to that the impact two or three nights of crappy sleep and you have a recipe for disaster.

Stay safe, PNW! ...and drink water!

[Halfapint]

It's not really timely, but we're in stock around here.  If there's something I can pick up for you and ship your way, let me know.

A dehumidifer can help as well, since sweat will be more efficient at removing heat.  And--I'm sure you know--a fan and copious amounts of water.  Even room-temperature water keeps you hydrated.  Keep electrolytes up; salt, potassium, and calcium.

Best luck to you.  :\

Just going to give a shout out to our community around here. My neighbor called out of the blue and asked if the house has AC. I said no, but working on getting one from my mom. Well he had 3 window units he's going to give us. He converted his house to a heat pump (yes 100% on my list of things). So grabbing those tomorrow.

I stocked up on pedialyte for the old folks. Grandpa won't drink it because he only drinks coffee (about 15 cups a day), but grandma will make him.

Personally like most things we are prepared. Worst case we force grandpa into the trailer and make him read a book instead if cable news all day.

Our local school, fire, library are opening their buildings for those who might need it, unfortunately the elderly often can't get to these. So I'll be checking in on a few of my neighbors over the weekend to make sure they are OK.

Another big concern is power, WA doesn't have a lack of power, we should be able to handle it, but people are weird and hear that a shortage may happen and start plugging in everything to charge batteries or whatever. I topped off the gas for the generator, so we've got 3 days if running 16-18hr a day.

Last worry is fire. Western states already have a huge problem with fires, and heat this bad could make things even worse. Sadly the truck I wanted to convert to a mini fire truck is on its last legs. So I may just use my truck with 2 IBC totes and the HF water pump as an emergency response vehicle.

[Crosscut]

Some passive or comfort cooling ideas for the home:

https://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/Cooling/passive_cooling.htm
https://pdhonline.com/courses/m356/m356content.pdf

Some might need to wait until the next home renovation to implement, but there's a number that can be done relatively cheaply and require no power to function which helps if the grid is down.  An attic radiant barrier is a pretty low cost upgrade that helps keep the heat from the attic out of the living space for example, and just using the garden hose to spray the roof down after the sun sets can help cool it by evaporation.

I added some of these passive cooling strategies when we designed our home.  Our roof eaves on the southward side of the house were sized for our latitude to keep the summer sun off the windows but allow maximum winter sun in.  Added much more internal thermal mass (about 20 cubic yards of concrete total) inside the insulation envelope which acts like a heat sponge or battery, if your area has a high diurnal temperature swing this can make a huge difference.  We have casement windows that act as wind scoops to increase the airflow in the house, the ones on the east and west sides of the home open in different directions so whether it's an easterly or westerly breeze they scoop the air in on the windward side and by blocking the breeze on the leeward side it helps suck air out of the house due to the pressure difference.  On hot days we close the windows in the morning and leave them closed until the outside temp falls below the inside temp (usually after sunset), the heat stored in the concrete then gets radiated out and carried out of the house with the breeze overnight.  It wouldn't work very well in all parts of the country, but our diurnal temp swing is about 25 degrees on average in the summer months with daytime highs rarely getting above the low 90's, and even on those days the inside temp is in the mid-70's without using any electricity.

[TACAIR]

I grew up in SoAz, so hot weather is just something that happens...

I found that sleeping outside on a hammock is great, but once it really cools down (like to 70) then a blanket is nice to have. 

As for humidity, I have few suggestions.  I spent a few nights in Bolxi MS with the power out owing to hurricanes -- short of sleeping on a (cooler) cement floor, there is little in the way of  relief w/o power.

If you ar ein the desert SW,
a mister/cool tower is a lower cost, very low energy use cooling method now gainng favor in newer building.

see - https://www.researchgate.net/figure/The-Cool-Tower-after-construction_fig5_237340708
The University of Arizone (Tucson) has done a fair amount of research on these.

https://www.bgu.ac.il/CDAUP/evaporative/evapo1.html

[boskone]

If you ar ein the desert SW,
a mister/cool tower is a lower cost, very low energy use cooling method now gainng favor in newer building.

see - https://www.researchgate.net/figure/The-Cool-Tower-after-construction_fig5_237340708
The University of Arizone (Tucson) has done a fair amount of research on these.

https://www.bgu.ac.il/CDAUP/evaporative/evapo1.html

That looks like an airwell, and those things can be almost ludicrously effective.

If I end up in an arid environment again, I'd be really tempted to try a windcatcher.

[Halfapint]

Biggest problems we have around here is we already have borderline mold perfection. We are just on the verge of natural mold fruiting. Add to it a swamp cooler or some sort of other humidity cooler it'll just make everything explode with mold.

Earlier today I got the grandparents hooked up with 2 window coolers one in the kitchen one in the bedroom. I told them k keep those things running, if it gets cool add layers, we want the cool thermal mass to stay in effect. Grandparents added 2 layers of insulation when they built the house. So if not can be cool inside, it'll stay. Worst case is they get a little cool shut it off and don't restart it until it's already 90+ Degrees inside.

Checked on all the neighbors, everyone seems to be doing ok. A couple friends might come and throw a cot in the trailer to stay a day or two. They are in an apartment with no air at all.

The one old timer that lives down the road was saying he doesn't need AC and he'll be fine. Me and another neighbor will keep an eye on him. He's 86 and as stubborn as a mule, still splits his own wood, and lives alone. So, worst case he may crash in the grandparents spare room for a day or two.

Gotta watch our elders in this crap.

Updates temps:
Saturday 101°
Sunday 111°
Monday 113°

Local authorities are staging standby generators in rich neighborhoods. I transferred all gas to a 55gallon drum with fuel stabilizer. That will last us over 7 days running on generator power also filled our propane tanks are full and have the the dual fuel carb on it.

[SCBrian]

Hope you're doing well.  Like others have said, work slow,  take your time, plenty of fluids, SALT...
What about setting up a gazebo or 10x10ez up with a swamp cooler outside so the mold isn't an issue?
Wide brim hats if you're outside.  Sunglasses.  Multiple layers of the correct clothing.
If you can't stay cool at your residence due to cost/availability of AC,  go to a mall or another shopping center.  Buy a drink and sit in the food court with a book for as long as you need until the afternoon heat breaks. 
I live in an area where those temps are not uncommon so we've adapted, though we catch hell from the northerners when we shut down for Ice, etc.    I think we have 1 snow plow locally, and by locally, I mean the entire portion of this state.  Certain areas adapt to what is normal and when extremes hit outside it can be tough.

[RoneKiln]

I thought this was mostly whiny hype till I saw Halfapint post an expectation of 113 degrees on Monday.

I'm checking the weather predictions Sunday night, and if that's still expected, I'm taking my cat into the office with me Monday morning. She might not survive in my place at that temp.

Work will be interesting on Monday if that happens.

I was out by Mt Baker today. It was hot, but I like the heat. We stopped in a small microbrewery and pizza place on the way back into town and at one point the power went down for about 10 minutes. I assume due to extra load on the grid from air conditioners.

[boskone]

My parents probably shouldn't be effected.  I still reminded dad to make sure they have several days worth of fuel, that their generator's in prime working order, and to check that the window AC I have them years ago is working.  They're stocked up on water for several days, and food.

[Ever (Zombiepreparation)]

geez, Halfapint. 😳 I've been taking a break and had no idea this is going on up there. Sounds like you're on top of it at this time? And that you have some strong ufozs members to bounce ideas around with. Will certainly be following your thread till you get through it and you & yours will certainly be held in my thoughts during this time.

[CG]

Never underestimate the power of a well-timed popsicle.  Think Grandpa would eat his Pedialyte that way instead of drinking it?  You can also do them with coconut water, banana, and whatever other fruit sounds good and they can help you keep your electrolytes balanced that way.

Don't buy the Pedialyte popsicles, nobody in our house would eat those.

Bandanas and ice water are very handy as well.  I walked around Sea World in San Antonio with one on top of my head, dripping down, and it felt amazing and kept me from overheating.  You can also use them if you need to cool someone down quickly - put them on their wrists and they help suck some of the heat out as their blood goes through there.  In that case, I think you'd want cool water, not ice cold.

Cool baths can also help cool somebody down quickly, but make sure they don't end up hypothermic instead!

[Halfapint]

So far so good, grandparents are cool thanks to the neighbor who gave them 2 AC units. Yesterday I went and dug a trench for that neighbor so he could work on it today starting at like 0400. He's trying to get his standby generator online ASAP.

Checked with all the neighbors they all seem to be good, one may come over today, she doesn't have AC or anything. So told her to call me or come over.

Luckily it looks like it'll only get to 108 today not 115. It hit 105 yesterday here.

My buddy is a ranger in the PDX area and they hit 114 I think. The little thermometer they have broke and it showed like 120 or something at the park.

[RoneKiln]

My cat was not impressed with being dragged into work this afternoon. She wasn't nearly as impressed with the air conditioning as she should have been.

At least she's stopped screaming at me.

[Tony D Tiger]

114! 

[Ever (Zombiepreparation)]

114! 

Dang

[Ever (Zombiepreparation)]

from the book of: Things You Never Think You'll Hear From Someone in the US Upper Northwest Coast

"Luckily it looks like it'll only get to 108 today"

[The Twizzler]

I have lived most of my life in the Mid South and Deep South there are a few things will make it more bearable and that are easy. Take a quick cold shower every once in while, if you have to work out side do it at dawn and dusk not during the day. I assume since you are in coffee country you have thermoses (sp?) put some ice water in there or gatorade and it will stay cold for hours. Get a big jug like a gallon milk jug or 2 litre coke bottle ( The Hawaiian Fruit Punch jugs are best cause they a a built in hanging handle) fill it water about 4/5's full and put that in the freezer. You can then sit with it in your lap or place it in front of a good fan. I know it sounds weird but it works and is cheap.