[DiMarie]

Steve I am so glad both you and the car are okay. I hate loosing the power.

Waves, that is a change from last year isn't it? I wonder what it means for the weather systems that travel off Africa and end up as hurricanes?

Di

[waves]

Originally Posted by DiMarie

Waves, that is a change from last year isn't it? I wonder what it means for the weather systems that travel off Africa and end up as hurricanes?

Di

Hi Di,

Yes this past Winter was milder, but so far Spring and Summer are cooler than last year - also cooler than what is typical. The consensus here is that the seasons are disappearing! But it doesn't always fit.

As long as I have known hurricanes have come off the African coast, or out of the Gulf. Occasionally something will form over water I think too. Those are unrelated to the heat systems we get though. Not sure if you were trying to figure that out?

The heat we get is always from Africa, btw. This year is much, much cooler than last year or the year before. I can't remember what year it was (2003? 2004?) that we had the dreadful summer throughout Europe. It was HOT HOT HOT all June through mid-October (usually nippy by then!) - unrelenting temps in the 100's - crazy. That year, the deaths recorded from heat stroke, dehydration, respiratory distress and other heat-related issues were at record highs in several European countries.

This Spring has been unusually cool. We should have hit the 80's in late Spring (but no complaints here!) and it barely touched 70. IThere's no telling really how the rest of the Summer will play out, but I hope we keep getting little breaks in between the heat waves, that will help. That and rain.

Oh yeah that year that was so hot, it didn't rain for the longest time - that contributed to the problem.

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As far as AC goes, few have it and fewer have central air. Most places here aren't used to dealing with intense heat because it didn't happen. They added AC to public transport here only in recent years, and people don't use it correctly so it either goes to waste and ends up breaking down or you end up in a freezer-box of a bus only to step outside into Sahara-temperatures and catch your death of something or other. Then people start saying AC is bad, and want it turned off completely... go figure!

waves

[Mari]

Originally Posted by waves

Hi Di,
They added AC to public transport here only in recent years, and people don't use it correctly so it either goes to waste and ends up breaking down or you end up in a freezer-box of a bus only to step outside into Sahara-temperatures and catch your death of something or other. Then people start saying AC is bad, and want it turned off completely... go figure!

waves

Waves,

I remember my mother complaining about the commuter air conditioned subway cars in NYC in the mid 1990s. The subway stations were hotter than outside at street level (due to machinery and all), and she felt that no a/c on the trains might have been better than having to deal with the very hot transition from the train through the station to the street level.
=====

Here, mid-June in the low 90 s feels hot with humidity in the high 80% s.
Generally, both those numbers stay fairly constant until Oct.

June is weird because people complain and complain . . . because they have not accommodated yet to the high temps.
Right now folks are in the whining mode.
By August, we just go with the flow of being hot ALL THE TIME.


My complaint is about the RAIN. I believe that we are getting more this year than last year and last year was a record year.

Mari

[waves]

Hi Mari,

Originally Posted by Mari

I remember my mother complaining about the commuter air conditioned subway cars in NYC in the mid 1990s. The subway stations were hotter than outside at street level (due to machinery and all), and she felt that no a/c on the trains might have been better than having to deal with the very hot transition from the train through the station to the street level. i

This makes sense. The subway stations here tend to remain slightly cooler than outside, while the trains tend to be extremely hot and even those with AC are seldom too cool.

The main problem here is with the buses, particularly on inter-city routes. If a bus is too cold, nobody asks the driver to turn off the AC; rather, they open the windows. This (per driver gossip) strains the AC systems which then break down - and might stay broken for the season. Then people scoff at not having AC. At other times we might have a bus that has baked in the sun for hours; people get into this mobile oven and whine but only the odd person will open a window.

But by far the most ridiculous thing I've seen occurs in early Spring when daytime temperatures are climbing but mornings are still quite cold. At the end of a workday, a well-to-do Lady Wrapped In Fur will get into a relatively warm bus, perhaps even a heated one, sit down, then proceed to flap at herself fervently for the full 30 minute ride, all the while moaning and groaning about the heat! I really want to slap those women upside the head! I mean, Hello???? Take OFF your FUR COAT, Lady!!!

waves

[waves]

Originally Posted by Mari

My complaint is about the RAIN. I believe that we are getting more this year than last year and last year was a record year.

Mari

Wow, I am sorry Mari. Are you worried about flooding?

Rain can be a nuisance too, especially if one needs to go outside from time to time and remain relatively well dressed in the process.

At the last place I worked, there were several buildings and we occasionally had to travel from one to the other. They were connected by covered walkways though; during bad weather I was grateful for that.

waves

[waves]

Originally Posted by Mari

Here, mid-June in the low 90 s feels hot with humidity in the high 80% s.
Generally, both those numbers stay fairly constant until Oct.
...
Right now folks are in the whining mode.

I've mostly lived in similar climates to yours, Mari, one marginally cooler, one perhaps warmer and certainly more humid (100% humidity was frequent). In the latter case the heat also lasted longer and many places (including schools) were not air conditioned. People were used to the climate - there wasn't much complaining.

The humidity here is lower (tops out at 60%ish) but folks here experience that as high. From what I gather, too, the seasonal differences in the region are less pronounced compared to a few decades back; the heat and humidity start sooner and peter out later in the year. So some frustration is understandable, when it comes to older citizens.

Indeed, people here never cease to complain about the heat - until they can start on about the rain, the cold, or something else. The fact is, though, they will whine about most anything, not just the weather, so I have come to believe complaining is something of a national pastime.



waves