Hot Enough For You? Eugene Robinson nails it again.

[Faygo Kid]

Eugene Robinson: Feeling the heat

Still don’t believe in climate change? Then you’re either deep in denial or delirious from the heat.

As I write this, the nation’s capital and its suburbs are in post-apocalypse mode. About one-fourth of all households have no electricity, the legacy of an unprecedented assault by violent thunderstorms Friday night. Things are improving: At the height of the power outage, nearly half the region was dark.

The line of storms, which killed at least 17 people as it raced from the Midwest to the sea, culminated a punishing day when the official temperature here reached 104 degrees, a record for June. Hurricane-force winds of up to 80 miles per hour wreaked havoc with the lush tree canopy that is perhaps Washington’s most glorious amenity. One of my neighbors was lucky when a huge branch, headed for his roof, got snagged by a power line. Another neighbor lost a tree that fell into another tree that smashed an adjacent house, demolishing the second floor.

Yes, it’s always hot here in the summer — but not this hot. Yes, we always have thunderstorms — but never like these. The cliché is true: It did sound like a freight train. . .

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/eugene-robinson-feeling-the-heat/2012/07/02/gJQANNZGJW_story.html?hpid=z6
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You must read the whole thing - we're all thinking this way, aren't we? Thoughts for those in Colorado, too.

[CatWoman]

1. my granddaughter is caught up in that

she attends Howard University.

Talked to her Sunday; she's beyond disgusted.

and hot as hell.

she said millions in food will have to be thrown away, among other things.

[freshwest]

2. Thanks Faygo Kid, Robinson is always good.

[d_r]

3. just the begining

of the new normal

[Historic NY]

4. I recall that politicians would flee that summer cesspool in Washington...

now they can't escape it even when they leave.

[loose wheel]

5. That was a nasty storm

It is not without precedent. It's just unusual. Much of the grid in MD and DC would be considered substandard in southern states and would have beeen replaced years ago. Georgia Power is undertaking just such a project in Savannah after taking over Savannah power.

80 mph max gusts? That wouldn't even have rated the strength of the sustained winds of Hurricane Erin when it hit Pensacola, FL back in 1995.

Linking one weather event, or even one series of weather events isn't useful in terms of global warming.

Does global warming foster cloud creation because of moisture in the air? Does global warming inhibit cloud creation because of greater temperature at higher altitudes? The models do not demonstrate consistency either way. If the models can't tell then how does Eugene Robinson, not a scientist, tell?

[ohheckyeah]

6. God yes, it did sound like a freight train.

We were watching television (Friday night) and I heard the windows rattle and then what sounded like a freight train rushing down from the mountain in front of our house. We lost trees and electricity. We spent a grueling Friday night with 90+ degree temperature and finally found a motel room Saturday morning. I had to hang out at the front desk for hours to grab a room for my 85 year old parents from a neighboring town who couldn't find a motel room. Finally got them one and then my brother drove 75 miles and shared our motel room because there were no more to be had. The local, rural BP station sold over 700 bags of ice in one day. People have been standing in line to purchase ice and water. Why water? When you live rural and have well water you lose water when the electricity goes out.

Another storm last night knocked out power in neighboring communities just as they were restoring ours. Gas supplies are short as gas stations lost power. Grocery stores are closed, medical clinics closed, restaurants closed or completely overwhelmed, motels sold out or closed because lack of power or a/c burning out.

All of this in the normally moderate temperatures in the mountains of southwest Virginia.

We have 95 - 100 degree weather predictions for the rest of the week.

I'm afraid this is our future and our power grid is just not adequate. All of our electrical lines in rural VA need to be buried but "it's too expensive." Well, how much is it costing to pay workers double time for July 4th week? How much is it costing the community in motel bills, ruined food, tree removal, roof repairs, etc. etc.