Question of the day
Tuesday, Aug 27, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Sun-Times…
Monday was hot but Tuesday is expected to be even hotter in Chicago, with temperatures nearing 100 degrees.
An excessive heat warning is in effect for all of Northern Illinois until 10 p.m. Tuesday with air temperatures across the area projected to reach 95 to 99 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.
With heat and humidity, it could feel somewhere between 105 to 115 degrees outside, according to the weather service. […]
In addition to high heat, air quality Tuesday is expected to reach “unhealthy levels for sensitive groups.”
* The Question: How do you plan to deal with this week’s heat and poor air quality?
- JoanP - Tuesday, Aug 27, 24 @ 10:48 am:
I’m staying inside.
Last night, I slept with the air conditioner on for the first time since I moved here 4 1/2 years ago. Typically, I can open the windows and turn on the ceiling fan, and I’m fine.
- JoanP - Tuesday, Aug 27, 24 @ 10:50 am:
Adding to my previous -
Sparkling water, cold showers, and I will NOT turn on the oven. Meals will be sandwiches, salad, anything not requiring heat.
- cermak_rd - Tuesday, Aug 27, 24 @ 10:58 am:
I’m following the exact same pattern as JoanP. And my dog is appreciating the refrigerated chicken and broth at mealtimes. I’m making sure he isn’t outside too much.
- Lloyd - Tuesday, Aug 27, 24 @ 11:05 am:
Indoors with A/C, shades closed, Old Style icy cold and crisp.
- Rudy’s teeth - Tuesday, Aug 27, 24 @ 11:24 am:
Like JoanP…no oven
Enjoying pierogies and poppy seed loaf from the farmer’s market on Saturday.
Rescheduled appointments and keeping a/c and fans on.
- Pot calling kettle - Tuesday, Aug 27, 24 @ 11:36 am:
Taking a few days off from knocking doors.
So many doors, so little time…
Sunday was pretty hot; people were offering us water. We had to stop after just a couple of hours.
- Tequila Mockingbird - Tuesday, Aug 27, 24 @ 11:45 am:
It’s just weather, nothing we haven’t survived before.
I plan to drink plenty of water and pay attention to what my body tells me. Same as every other day.
- a drop in - Tuesday, Aug 27, 24 @ 11:54 am:
Doggie walks at 9am and 7pm only. He can spend the afternoon sleeping in the window getting the sunshine.
- Suburban Mom - Tuesday, Aug 27, 24 @ 11:58 am:
Shades closed in every room I’m not in. Still open on my office window for another half hour or so, then the sun starts coming in that window and I sit in the dark all day.
I know turning off the lights doesn’t really make a difference because they’re LED, but I feel psychologically cooler when I turn them off after growing up with incandescents.
- JoanP - Tuesday, Aug 27, 24 @ 12:01 pm:
= nothing we haven’t survived before =
That’s true of those of us who are here to tell the story.
But, sadly, it’s not true of everyone. Remember the heat wave of 1995? More than 700 people died. While the mortality rate of subsequent heat waves has not been that high, people still die from them.
- @misterjayem - Tuesday, Aug 27, 24 @ 12:01 pm:
I plan on staying indoors and remembering how nice it was last week.
– MrJM
- Pot calling kettle - Tuesday, Aug 27, 24 @ 12:14 pm:
= nothing we haven’t survived before =
Interesting thought.
“Heat-related deaths in the U.S. have more than DOUBLED in the last 20 years according to a new analysis. At the same time, human-caused climate change has made heat more dangerous.” https://www.npr.org/2024/08/27/nx-s1-5090186/as-deaths-increase-how-climate-change-is-making-heat-more-dangerous
This is likely to be the coolest summer of the rest of our lives. We can expect this kind of heat wave to occur more frequently every summer from now on.
Am I concerned? Yes, I am.
- Give Us Barabbas - Tuesday, Aug 27, 24 @ 12:32 pm:
We do more of the outdoor activities after dark. I do more cooking outside on the grill, which I enjoy. The basement is plenty cool and in a power outage the wife likes to sleep down there.
- RNUG - Tuesday, Aug 27, 24 @ 12:35 pm:
Worked some in the garage yesterday. It’s under a shade tree, with garage doors at both ends, so good cross breeze. Hot but not impossible. Quit about 3 in the afternoon.
Today, after we get some groceries, I’ll probably just hibernate in the house with the A/C.
- SKI - Tuesday, Aug 27, 24 @ 1:21 pm:
Staying indoors today & riding North to Chicago tomorrow for much cooler temps than today.
- Sir Reel - Tuesday, Aug 27, 24 @ 1:42 pm:
I’m staying inside.
I live in the country and I feel bad for the livestock suffering through this heat, especially the Black Angus cattle in pastures with no shade. Brutal.
- Flapdoodle - Tuesday, Aug 27, 24 @ 1:56 pm:
Stay indoors w/ AC at reasonable level. Stay hydrated with fluids specially imported from Germany and also occasionally water. If movement is necessary, emulate the sloth.
- Aaron B - Tuesday, Aug 27, 24 @ 2:07 pm:
I’m just hoping that the hourly price of ComEd electricity gets down to a reasonable level by maybe 9pm again tonight. Right now, my thermostat is at 80 degrees so my AC doesn’t usually come on until about that time.
- Dotnonymous x - Tuesday, Aug 27, 24 @ 2:56 pm:
Capitalism requires the poor class to endure the heat in order to keep the rich class cool…if you think about it…honestly.
- JS Mill - Tuesday, Aug 27, 24 @ 3:25 pm:
We kept the younger students inside today. Other than that I am not doing anything different. If we were going to get a lengthy heat wave, I would probably spend more time indoors, but this is a couple of days and the nights/evenings have been very tolerable.
=Capitalism requires the poor class to endure the heat in order to keep the rich class cool=
Respectfully disagree. Capitalism doesn’t have any requirements on class.