Author Topic: Ive been in Texas long enough to notice (Read 1785 times)

Matthew · « **on:** August 05, 2014, 07:30:53 PM »

...that a northern "Summer" is a joke!

I just looked at the weather forecast for my hometown in Illinois -- there are a few days when it actually breaches 80 *gasp*. And they regularly dip into the low 60's and even high 50's at night.

During the first week of August!

Here in Texas for the same time period we'll be breaching 100 more days than not, and it doesn't go below 74 at night.

Now I understand where all those articles that say, "Open your windows at night and close them during the day -- save on cooling costs!" are getting their ideas. They must live up north.

I also understand why my mom's rule was, "You can swim as long as the temperature is 80 or higher." I remember calling the "time & temperature" phone number countless times during my childhood, hoping it would be past that magical number.

80 is really quite cold though for swimming. But if the bar had been any higher, we'd NEVER have been able to swim!

NOTE: When I say "swim", I mean "go outside in a swimsuit and get wet". We never had more than a $10 kiddie pool, and sometimes not even that. We'd jump through a sprinkler, squirt each other with the hose, etc.

RomanCatholic1953 · « **Reply #1 on:** August 05, 2014, 08:39:43 PM »

Matthew, you are having rather cool where you live.

Come and visit Houston, we still are having temperatures
in the 90's.

I am renting a house that was built in 1965 with a very
primitive AC. It only works if there are cool spots
already in the house. That is similar to the houses
designed in the early 20th century where it would be
cool enough for milk, and foods will not spoil even after
a few days.

If the temperature is 70 degrees outside, and in the
afternoon when the sun is finished heating up the house,
the temperature in the house could be as high as 90
degrees.

Without the original 1965 AC, the house would be
unlivable in the summer heat.

At Lease the place is a roof over my head, the
hot months in Texas do not last forever.

Dolores · « **Reply #2 on:** August 05, 2014, 08:45:54 PM »

True enough, Matthew. I'm sure people up north would agree how much of a joke Texas winters are though! :wink:

RomanCatholic1953 · « **Reply #3 on:** August 05, 2014, 09:09:20 PM »

Quote from: Dolores

True enough, Matthew. I'm sure people up north would agree how much of a joke Texas winters are though! :wink:

Dolores is the EL NUMERO UNA.

BTNYC · « **Reply #4 on:** August 05, 2014, 09:45:18 PM »

I can't speak for Chicago, but Summer 2014 in New York has thus far been the coolest I can remember (which is more than three decades).

A year or two ago we had a goodly number of 100+ days... and, as I'm sure Frances, Claudel and some of the other New Yorkers here can attest, 100 degrees in filthy, muggy New York City is hellish.