Weather

There are 211 posts filed in Weather (this is page 17 of 22).

Wall of heat

Getting off the plane from Chicago yesterday was like walking into a wall of heat. I’d been spoiled by the dry, upper 70s weather I enjoyed in Milwaukee and Chicago. Nothing says “welcome to the South” like summertime heat!

The heat takes getting used to. Before I left, the 78 degrees we’ve kept the house felt quite comfortable. Then I stayed north for a week and kept my hotel AC set to 68 degrees. Now I have to get used to 78 again.

The funny thing is, I will get used to 78 again. And it will feel normal. The human body has an amazing ability to adapt. My body, too. 🙂

Poppin’ and booming

Had a classic summertime slow-moving thunderstorm pass over last night. It must have been right on top of us. The lightning was as intense as I’ve heard, with non-stop bolting for a good 20 minutes or more. On my way out to get my paper I expect to see a few nearby pine trees still steaming from the jolts.

I also expect my rain tank to be full at 330 gallons. Sunday morning I was down to 60 gallons. Not a bad turnaround.

Update: “Lake Turner” is at 275 gallons: not full but not bad, either.

Hey man, watch this!

My watch slid off my arm as I was biking to work this morning. Right there on the home stretch, too, where I was starting to feel light as a feather. I immediately fetched the bulk of it but the clasp couldn’t be found after two passes over the scene of the crime.

During last night’s show I felt the clasp working loose but simply put it back in place. Must have been all that clapping I did.

I hope this isn’t a sign of the kind of day to expect. At least it isn’t quite as hot today.

Update: I found the clasp! It was closer to the curb than I’d expected. I’d been going out to look on occasion today, hoping that the sun’s changing light angles would make it stand out. Sure enough it did.

The clasp is really no worse for the wear, surprisingly. A few extra scratches but nothing to worry about. It will be a good day after all.

Why its still biking weather

Yes, the temperature was above 100 degrees today. That didn’t stop me from riding my bike to work, however. I’m actually in a position where the heat doesn’t affect me much.

The secret’s in the route. Our house is downhill from downtown. Thus, I do my climbing in the morning: while its still cool. When its quittin’ time its also very warm … but, my trip home is all downhill. So, I don’t put myself at much risk when the weather is hot.

Now, when it turns cold … that will test my resolve!

Heat blankets everything

After a morning a bit lazier than I’d planned, I went to the backyard to put our newly-acquired tomato plants into the ground. I got as far as digging holes and putting down weed blocker before the blazing heat chased me indoors. It was 11 o’clock and already I felt drained of energy. The plants will have to wait until the evening.

When we arrived downtown for our movie, you could’ve heard a pin drop on the streets of Raleigh. It was a sweltering ghost town. Its a good day to lie low.

Three digit temperatures call for three dimensions

There are few places better to be when its sweltering outside than a cool movie theater. We took advantage of our Marbles membership and hot-footed it over to the IMAX theater for the noon showing of Bugs! 3D. We had cool prime seats in front of a five-story tall silver screen.

It was the Travis’s first theater experience, and Hallie’s second. For both it was their first time at a 3D movie. They had me laughing as they reached out and grabbed the butterflies appearing to fly right towards them.

We then moseyed over to the museum for an hour or two of play. All in all it was a great way to escape the heat.

(Incidentally, 3D movies are a great way of scratching the 3D itch I had.)

August weather in June

Today’s temperatures are expected to soar to 102 degrees F. Its barely the second week of June! I suppose we’re now paying for those weeks of mild weather where we kept our windows open and the air conditioning rarely ran.

This stifling weather’s got Kelly and I missing the cool weather of the San Juan Islands. Upon our return last year, we traded the Islands’ low-70s high temperatures for Raleigh’s oven-like 100s.

Its a shame that it now costs an arm and a leg to fly anywhere.