Why you don't want to be in the D.C. area this weekend

11 years ago

Here's our weather forecast:

Friday: High of 100 (heat index near 105)

Saturday: High of 102 (some say it'll be more like 105)

Sunday: High in the upper 90s

We've had 8 consecutive days of temperatures at least 95 degrees.

This is just so unusual for this area ... that and the freak storm.

C'mon, Tuesday! (A high of only 87) We're supposed to get some rain on Sunday, but it's not likely to cool us off...

What's the worst heat wave you've endured? You get bonus points if you did NOT have A/C!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (19)

eileen101
11 years ago
Living in Phoenix, what can I say? It's normal, in the summer, to be around 110 for weeks at a time.
Eileen
sheilajoyce_gw
11 years ago
105 in southern California, but it usually is at the peak heat for just a few hours. Nowadays, we have AC!

I remember the humidity when we lived out there. Whew! DH worked in DC and we lived in Bethesda, where I worked.
Related Discussions
Why Nurseries don't want figs
Q
Comments (10)
I see that this is a rather old thread, but I thought I'd comment anyway, since the topic is something I am familiar with. I was the sales manager at a local garden center for about 7 years. As such, I got to deal with the public when we had people walk in and offer plant materials for sale or as a donation to us. There are a couple of reasons why nurseries often won't buy plants from the "public at large." Here's sort of the scoop on this whole matter: 1) It is TECHNICALLY illegal in my state to buy plant matter for commercial resale from anyone other than another liscenced nursery. This is pretty typical in most jurisdictions, where an inspection certificate must be provided with any shipment of live plant matter. However, this law isn't really enforced, so it's often just an easy excuse to give to the person trying to sell you their 22 year old peace lily covered with mealybugs and with severe tipburn from being watered for years with flouridated tap water. 2) Plant matter grown by amateurs can vary from gorgeous and healthy to horrible. The real problem with this practice is that, all too often, someone will have an old, ugly, unhealthy, and infested plant which really only belonged in the trash, but which they would want us to pay top dollar for. Another common thing, believe it or not, was for someone who was relandscaping or doing construction to pull in with a broken up, overgrown yew or similar shrub in their trunk, with a few hacked roots sticking out from a tarp, and try to sell it to us. One time, a lady wanted to sell us a bundle of yew trimmings to sell for Xmas cut greens. I told her she should have come BEFORE we unloaded half a semi trailer of Oregon evergreen products the previous day. Unfortunately, because this practice happens quite often, most nurseries develop a blanket "just say no" type policy -- we did, it was just easier than dealing with it on a one by one basis. But, no matter what the situation, the rejection should always be made in a considerate and respectful manner. Even then, some people would be nice about it, others would become upset. 3) The nature of the business. Buyers usually have targets on species, quantity, size, price, etc. Quite often, people would try to offer something unusual to us which, while actually a nice plant, wasn't something which would prove popular enough for us to warrant actually trying to sell. Also, a lot of times, the people customers see aren't authorized to deal with such matters, and the person who is authorized isn't readily available, so it is just easier to, once again, "just say no." I always suggested that people try to donate their plants (usually houseplants or landscape plants for us, that was our main business) to a school, library, or other public building where it could be enjoyed by all.
...See More
Why Don't You Use Your Dining Room?
Q
Comments (41)
We've been in this house for 26 years and the original kitchen was small and poorly designed with 6 - yep that's right 6 doors or hallway openings. When the 5 of us sat down for meals only the 2 on the end could get up. So we ate in the dining room most nights on a plywood table that DH made until we renovated. Both of us cook and we enjoy having guests so we put on a large addition and at 30 x 18 my kitchen is the largest room in the house and we love it. It mimics our formal dining room with dark cherry cabinets and Oriental rugs on the ceramic. We usually have all our meals there. We've made lighting the candles and saying grace (or a few woods to mark the day's events) a ritual.But there's still nothing like sitting down as a family for meals in the dining room which now has a real table and china cabinet and using the silver and china. There's a different feeling to using the dining room that makes it special. But when we designed our vacation/retirement home in the mts. we made a large great room so it's a combination living - dining- kitchen area.
...See More
Don't watch this because you don't want to see it
Q
Comments (24)
Nasty! Glad I watched it though not surprised. Yes, we're germaphobes but better careful than not. My DH, DD and I went recently to High Point, NC for her soccer tournament. Stayed at a very nice Radisson. In our room, we found pubic hair on our sheets the first night and when we returned from the tournament the 2nd day around 4 pm, we found a condom (unused) in our bathroom sitting on the counter. Definitely not ours! Who the heck knows what went on in our room while we were gone. When we told the manager, he smiled and said, "Oh well, come with me...", took us downstairs and proceeded to credit our card $45 dollars for the trouble! Why $45? Did he think we needed the money? We weren't trying to get a discount! He didn't seem surprised. At another hotel last year, our comforter had a small, silver-dollar sized, almost unnoticeable fresh blood stain on it. Almost missed it because of the flower print on the comforter. It was still wet! I make it a point to inspect the room prior to use. This is how I find these things. Yes, I'm sure there's a lot of junk out there on a daily basis that we are exposed to, but if I can avoid some of them then that's better for me and my family. Just because these things are out there or, because as kids we did worse things than this, doesn't mean I have to let my guard down. Also, on airplanes. I had a couple of flight attendants as patients once. They filled me in on all kinds of stuff. From the blankets to the food. The blankets are used by some very dirty travelers who wrap themselves up in them from head to dirty, smelly, shoeless feet. She said they just re-fold the blankets and set them out again. I think the airlines may be doing things differently now. Someone can set me straight if this has changed.
...See More
Why don't you want a second sink?
Q
Comments (59)
No, the difference b/w a prep sink and a bar sink is not location, the difference is size. Bar sinks are usually shallow, small sinks - sometimes as small as 9" or 10" wide and only 6" or 7" deep. Prep sinks, OTOH, are deeper and wider. They should be at least 15" wide - interior width, not overall width, and as deep as a larger sink - 8" to 10" or more (bottom of sink to top of counter). Mine is 15-3/4" square and 10" deep. Prep sinks should require at least an 18" sink base (for the sink to be big enough), and even better would be a 21" or 24" sink base. Bar sinks don't have to be that big b/c they're primarily used for filling/emptying/rinsing glasses and the like. Prep sinks need to be bigger b/c you're prepping food - which means there needs to be enough room for the food + your hands + any tools you use while prepping. Location, though, will determine how you use it, so even if you have a decent size prep sink, if you put in the wrong place it will probably not be used or it will be used for other uses (maybe even as a bar sink!) I'm chuckling at all the comments about how much space people have but adamantly refuse to put in a prep sink. Whether you actually need one or not, I cannot say b/c I don't know your layouts, but so many people put in large amounts of counterspace that is a waste of far more money than an extra sink will cost b/c the counters are located where they're useless - whether b/c there's no logical work zone in that location or b/c there's no water source to make it work. Those counters then become very expensive drop/clutter zones or maybe just dust collectors! I reiterate - just b/c you work a particular way today, doesn't mean you can't make it better with a better layout in the future nor does it mean that you will work the same way if you have a different layout. Yes, it may be all you know, and something that you've made do with for years - after all, human beings are very adaptive, we can make do with almost anything, regardless of how bad something it is. We're also resistant to change and new ideas and we often have a hard time seeing other ways to do things - even if they would be so much better! We hang on to what we know and either can't see the better or don't want to b/c we're convinced that we want can be had b/c someone has convinced us it will work when it really won't (like those islands that people cannot fit with adequate aisles & seating overhang b/c someone told them they could skimp on either or both and "it'll be fine" - those someones who often have a monetary gain b/c of that island or b/c they don't have to live with it, so talk is cheap and it makes you happy to hear them say it). That's why places like this Forum with people who can look at layouts objectively and give good critiques are so important and invaluable. There are several people here who can give you good advice and even do layouts for you. (No, not all advice is necessarily good advice and if you read enough layout threads you will learn which posters are better at layouts than others....ditto for aesthetic advice, while I will do layouts, I generally stay out of aesthetic threads b/c I'm not the best at aesthetics - others are far better!) Anyway, this whole prep sink discussion, while interesting in some cases, has brought out an interesting mix of people. Oh, and I don't recommend roughing in a prep sink at a particular location b/c you don't know where it might be needed in the future - so there's no point to it. If you know you are going to put one in in a particular location in the future, fine, but I wouldn't do it "just b/c".
...See More
jel48
11 years ago
That wasn't all that uncommon when I was growing up, and we definitely did not have any air conditioning! Of course, that was 50 years ago, so I probably don't get any bonus points for no air conditioning back then!
jemdandy
11 years ago
It is miserable in Milwaukee, WI. We are having about the same temps as Washington D.C. Won't cool into the high 80s F umtil two days hence. We are not getting much nightime cooling. Temp was 91 F at 9 pm.
Kathsgrdn
11 years ago
In the 100s here too, Central KY. I love it though. If I didn't have animals and other people in my house I wouldn't turn the air on...or at least I would turn it down. I love walking in my sunroom to warm up. That is, until I have a hot flash.....
Rudebekia
11 years ago
Today's the day (fingers crossed) that our extreme heat is supposed to break--80s and far less humid tomorrow! I actually slept Wednesday night with the air conditioner on all night--first time I've ever done that (and I'm 55). But this is MN so such heat/humidity is unusual. I don't know how you in typically hot and humid climates can stand it. Dry heat I can take--just not humidity.
Jasdip
11 years ago
This whole season we've had un-naturally warm temps.
Back in March there was a freak week where the temps were in the high 70's and the buds started popping on the fruit trees.
When temps got back to normal and we got frost, the buds fell off. No apples this year! Just last week in our paper in showed the trees of one of our local apple farmers. Literally just a handful of apples on the trees.

Usually we get just a few days of 30'sC temperatures but we've had weeks of it. Today it's to reach 35. It only got down to 21 overnight, so I left the windows closed.

No air, just a fan.
iowagirl2006
11 years ago
That is the heat we have been dealing with - it is supposed to break here on Saturday.

I have lived in areas where 110 is not uncommon -but the humidity is low.

I can tell you first hand - a temp in the 90's with high humidity is MUCH MUCH MUCH worse than in the 100's with arid conditions.

When you have the humidity, you just can't cool yourself. You sweat more and it just doesn't cool you.

I went to DC a while back and was warned of the heat/humidity there. I found it to be a bit more pleasant than central Iowa in the summer... LOL !
OklaMoni
11 years ago
It is like that back home ln Oklahoma. Thank goodness I am in New Mexico, where it cools off at night.
azzalea
11 years ago
NJ--pretty much the same. Upper 90's today, 102 tomorrow, but only lower 90's on Sunday, then 80's next week. Maybe we'll finally have the energy to finish cleaning up from the Derecho last weekend.

We only have AC in the living room, and I try not to run it more than a few hours a day.

Luckily, we're having company for lunch--on Sunday--so it shouldn't be too bad to cook.
chloecat
11 years ago
East-central Missouri - today is day 9 of 100Ã¯Â¿Â½+ temps. We're supposed to top out at 106Ã¯Â¿Â½ with high humidity. We are just as humid, here, as the low-lying coastal areas. Very similar to Louisiana, Georgia, South Carolina...

Washington DC (I used to live there) isn't fun in this heat though.
wanda_va
11 years ago
I was born in DC and have lived in this area all my life. I can't remember a heat wave this bad. It is normally hot and humid in July and August, but this has been downright ridiculous. My heart aches for those who lost power in last week's storm. We were fortunate in that ours was only out for 8 hours overnight.
dedtired
11 years ago
Philadelphia is expecting highs in the upper 90's and we get humidity, too. Actually I think the humidity has not been as bad as it could be over the past week. That old saying "it's not the heat, it's the humidity" is true! I haven't even stuck my nose out of the door yet today to see how it is. I have a weather app on my computer and it says it's 76 outside now, going up to 96.

I think our worst heat wave was highs in the low 100s. I have AC so as long as the power stays on, I'm fine. When I was a kid we only had window units in some rooms, and my bedroom was one that did not. I just remember that it was stifling. The schools also were not AC'd and I remember just dying of the heat in mid-June some years.

My sister lived in Bethesda. I felt like I was under water when I went there. Honestly, I think it is even worse there than farther south.
azzalea
11 years ago
NJ--pretty much the same. Upper 90's today, 102 tomorrow, but only lower 90's on Sunday, then 80's next week. Maybe we'll finally have the energy to finish cleaning up from the Derecho last weekend.

We only have AC in the living room, and I try not to run it more than a few hours a day.

Luckily, we're having company for lunch--on Sunday--so it shouldn't be too bad to cook.
kacram
11 years ago
I feel sorry for y'all. I really do. I really appreciate
our weather out here. I am so sick of people complaining
about it, but we are so much better off, imho.. I hope
you all can stay cool and safe!
pammyfay
Original Author
11 years ago
Well, now I feel like a whiney baby after learning of more storm damage elsewhere: seeing TV video of storm damage in Tennessee and hearing that 2 people were killed in the Smoky Nat'l Park.
Lily316
11 years ago
Same old same old here..Hitting 99 today as we did yesterday and possible 103 tomorrow. This is Life?? Can't do anything, cant go anywhere. I hate summer and will always. Give me winter any old day of the week. Summer is the time to do stuff, but no one can venture outside.
linda_in_iowa
11 years ago
I went to a band concert last night and, when I came home, I took off my WET clothes! I don't have central air so just my living room is cool during the day and bedroom is cool at night.
Rudebekia
11 years ago
They didn't forecast this one very well. They've been telling us all week that the heat would break early today with a thunderstorm, but it didn't happen. Another high 90s, thick humidity day. The heat is "stalled out" here (official forecaster phrase!). Aargh!

Why you don't want to be in the D.C. area this weekend

Comments (19)

eileen101

sheilajoyce_gw

Related Discussions

jel48

jemdandy

Kathsgrdn

Rudebekia

Jasdip

iowagirl2006

OklaMoni

azzalea

chloecat

wanda_va

dedtired

azzalea

kacram

pammyfay
Original Author

Lily316

linda_in_iowa

Rudebekia

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Why you don't want to be in the D.C. area this weekend

Comments (19)

Related Discussions

pammyfayOriginal Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

pammyfay
Original Author