What's your weather currently?

[jakeroot]

3. People are used to the heat in that area.

I still don't understand this one.  I'm imagining, for example, Saint Louis in the 1950s.  During the summer, when temps climbed high and the air was humid and still, did people get extra pay or special shifts?  I don't think they did.  Fast-forward to the 2020s, and why should they?

Couple reasons: (1) air conditioning is much more affordable now than it was then, so not having any AC becomes a bit inexcusable; (2) heat-related deaths were much higher before the widespread use of air conditioning because there is a near 1-to-1 relationship between heat and heat-related death. Go figure...

[kphoger]

3. People are used to the heat in that area.

I still don't understand this one.  I'm imagining, for example, Saint Louis in the 1950s.  During the summer, when temps climbed high and the air was humid and still, did people get extra pay or special shifts?  I don't think they did.  Fast-forward to the 2020s, and why should they?

Couple reasons: (1) air conditioning is much more affordable now than it was then, so not having any AC becomes a bit inexcusable; (2) heat-related deaths were much higher before the widespread use of air conditioning because there is a near 1-to-1 relationship between heat and heat-related death. Go figure...

I guess I still don't see how that answers the points I raised.

Whatever.  No big deal.  I'm not going to lose any sleep over it.

[kphoger]

For context, I work in the cable business.  Our field techs work outdoors all day, every day.  Whether it's 105 or -10 degrees outside, whether it's sunny or windy or snowing or icy or pouring down rain, they're out there replacing and installing drops, filters, and splitters;  drilling outlets and wrapping exterior lines, squeezing into crawlspaces, and carrying 28-foot fiberglass ladders.  And the only weather-related breaks they get (to my knowledge) are these:

1.  If there are active storms, and their work requires climbing a ladder up to the mainline, then they can reschedule the appointment due to the potential for a lightning strike.  Similarly, if the ground below the pole is such hardened ice that the ladder feet can't get any traction, then they can reschedule the appointment–but they have to at least try first.

2.  If the roads are so snowy/icy that it's actually impossible to get to customers' houses, then we can reschedule appointments.  In 13 years, I can count the number of days this has happened on one hand (between Oklahoma, Kansas, NW Arkansas, Kansas City, and Lincoln, plus a brief stint in Dallas).

3.  Attic work is restricted to morning hours only during summer months.

I'm trying to imagine anybody in the industry–anyone with actual field experience, that is–suggesting that techs should get extra pay or reduced hours on hot days, and all I can envision is them getting laughed out of the room.

[Max Rockatansky]

What I have found being from the Midwest originally and living in the Sun Belt most of my adult life is that you just tend to get used to the heat.  It's expensive to air condition your house to a cozy 70F when 80-82F is much more budget friendly.  It never bothered me a ton outside of maybe the first six months in Phoenix to be out in 100F plus weather for extended period of times.  Almost everyone acclimates eventually given enough exposure.  Granted, I get it the example I gave above in Washington was a sudden and unexpected heat wave.  It was nonetheless eye roll inducing to hear how many people really thought AC was an OSHA mandated item at certain outdoor temperatures. 

Secondarily at the time my AC at home was ironically down for three weeks when the coil needed to be replaced.  Everyone of those days had a high over 100F in Fresno and one of them even hit 110F.  It was a little annoying having to deal with complaints at that time given I was going through the exact same thing but for about six times the length. 

[kphoger]

What I have found being from the Midwest originally and living in the Sun Belt most of my adult life is that you just tend to get used to the heat.  It's expensive to air condition your house to a cozy 70F when 80-82F is much more budget friendly.  It never bothered me a ton outside of maybe the first six months in Phoenix to be out in 100F plus weather for extended period of times.  Almost everyone acclimates eventually given enough exposure.  Granted, I get it the example I gave above in Washington was a sudden and unexpected heat wave.  It was nonetheless eye roll inducing to hear how many people really thought AC was an OSHA mandated item at certain outdoor temperatures. 

Secondarily at the time my AC at home was ironically down for three weeks when the coil needed to be replaced.  Everyone of those days had a high over 100F in Fresno and one of them even hit 110F.  It was a little annoying having to deal with complaints at that time given I was going through the exact same thing but for about six times the length. 

In point of fact, my wife does have to close her home daycare if the indoor temperature drops below a certain temperature, by state regulation.  During the Coldpocalypse™ this past winter, I think our house got to within a couple of degrees of that threshold because the power company told everyone to lower their thermostats.  I don't know if such an upper threshold exists, but it wouldn't surprise me one bit.

[Max Rockatansky]

What I have found being from the Midwest originally and living in the Sun Belt most of my adult life is that you just tend to get used to the heat.  It's expensive to air condition your house to a cozy 70F when 80-82F is much more budget friendly.  It never bothered me a ton outside of maybe the first six months in Phoenix to be out in 100F plus weather for extended period of times.  Almost everyone acclimates eventually given enough exposure.  Granted, I get it the example I gave above in Washington was a sudden and unexpected heat wave.  It was nonetheless eye roll inducing to hear how many people really thought AC was an OSHA mandated item at certain outdoor temperatures. 

Secondarily at the time my AC at home was ironically down for three weeks when the coil needed to be replaced.  Everyone of those days had a high over 100F in Fresno and one of them even hit 110F.  It was a little annoying having to deal with complaints at that time given I was going through the exact same thing but for about six times the length. 

In point of fact, my wife does have to close her home daycare if the indoor temperature drops below a certain temperature, by state regulation.  During the Coldpocalypse™ this past winter, I think our house got to within a couple of degrees of that threshold because the power company told everyone to lower their thermostats.  I don't know if such an upper threshold exists, but it wouldn't surprise me one bit.

Out of curiosity what is that threshold for low temperature on the State level?

[kphoger]

What I have found being from the Midwest originally and living in the Sun Belt most of my adult life is that you just tend to get used to the heat.  It's expensive to air condition your house to a cozy 70F when 80-82F is much more budget friendly.  It never bothered me a ton outside of maybe the first six months in Phoenix to be out in 100F plus weather for extended period of times.  Almost everyone acclimates eventually given enough exposure.  Granted, I get it the example I gave above in Washington was a sudden and unexpected heat wave.  It was nonetheless eye roll inducing to hear how many people really thought AC was an OSHA mandated item at certain outdoor temperatures. 

Secondarily at the time my AC at home was ironically down for three weeks when the coil needed to be replaced.  Everyone of those days had a high over 100F in Fresno and one of them even hit 110F.  It was a little annoying having to deal with complaints at that time given I was going through the exact same thing but for about six times the length. 

In point of fact, my wife does have to close her home daycare if the indoor temperature drops below a certain temperature, by state regulation.  During the Coldpocalypse™ this past winter, I think our house got to within a couple of degrees of that threshold because the power company told everyone to lower their thermostats.  I don't know if such an upper threshold exists, but it wouldn't surprise me one bit.

Out of curiosity what is that threshold for low temperature on the State level?

I couldn't remember offhand, so I went online and looked it up.  Here you go:

Kansas Laws and Regulations for Licensing Day Care Homes and Group Day Care Homes for Children
  VI. Regulations for Licensing Day Care Homes and Group Day Care Homes for Children
    K.A.R. 28-4-115. Facility.
      (c) General environmental requirements.

Each facility shall have 25 square feet of available play space per child and shall be constructed, arranged, and maintained to provide for the health and safety of children in care. Each applicant, each applicant with a temporary permit, and each licensee shall ensure that the facility meets the following requirements:

(14) is maintained at a temperature of not less than 65 degrees Fahrenheit and not more than 85 degrees Fahrenheit in the play area;

[NWI_Irish96]

Multiple tornado warnings in the Chicago metro.

[Max Rockatansky]

What I have found being from the Midwest originally and living in the Sun Belt most of my adult life is that you just tend to get used to the heat.  It's expensive to air condition your house to a cozy 70F when 80-82F is much more budget friendly.  It never bothered me a ton outside of maybe the first six months in Phoenix to be out in 100F plus weather for extended period of times.  Almost everyone acclimates eventually given enough exposure.  Granted, I get it the example I gave above in Washington was a sudden and unexpected heat wave.  It was nonetheless eye roll inducing to hear how many people really thought AC was an OSHA mandated item at certain outdoor temperatures. 

Secondarily at the time my AC at home was ironically down for three weeks when the coil needed to be replaced.  Everyone of those days had a high over 100F in Fresno and one of them even hit 110F.  It was a little annoying having to deal with complaints at that time given I was going through the exact same thing but for about six times the length. 

In point of fact, my wife does have to close her home daycare if the indoor temperature drops below a certain temperature, by state regulation.  During the Coldpocalypse™ this past winter, I think our house got to within a couple of degrees of that threshold because the power company told everyone to lower their thermostats.  I don't know if such an upper threshold exists, but it wouldn't surprise me one bit.

Out of curiosity what is that threshold for low temperature on the State level?

I couldn't remember offhand, so I went online and looked it up.  Here you go:

Kansas Laws and Regulations for Licensing Day Care Homes and Group Day Care Homes for Children
  VI. Regulations for Licensing Day Care Homes and Group Day Care Homes for Children
    K.A.R. 28-4-115. Facility.
      (c) General environmental requirements.

Each facility shall have 25 square feet of available play space per child and shall be constructed, arranged, and maintained to provide for the health and safety of children in care. Each applicant, each applicant with a temporary permit, and each licensee shall ensure that the facility meets the following requirements:

(14) is maintained at a temperature of not less than 65 degrees Fahrenheit and not more than 85 degrees Fahrenheit in the play area;

I suppose that makes sense considering kids have a harder regulating their body temperatures compared to adults.  65F kind of seems a little on the high side for a "low"  threshold from a glance.

[kphoger]

Multiple tornado warnings in the Chicago metro.

I remember being in Chicago on vacation (after having moved away as a child), and there were three active tornado warnings for the city.  All hotel guests had to go down to the bottom floor until the warnings were cleared.  It was an Embassy Suites or something like that, with multiple floors and a lot of guests.

People forget, I think, that that part of the country does get tornadoes.

[kphoger]

I suppose that makes sense considering kids have a harder regulating their body temperatures compared to adults.  65F kind of seems a little on the high side for a "low"  threshold from a glance.

And I was thinking that 85 seems kind of low for the "high" threshold, considering how hard it is for an A/C unit to keep up with summer heat.

[Max Rockatansky]

I suppose that makes sense considering kids have a harder regulating their body temperatures compared to adults.  65F kind of seems a little on the high side for a "low"  threshold from a glance.

And I was thinking that 85 seems kind of low for the "high" threshold, considering how hard it is for an A/C unit to keep up with summer heat.

True, but I can envision 90F would be enough to cause the parental complaints needed to drop that to 85F. 

[NWI_Irish96]

Multiple tornado warnings in the Chicago metro.

I remember being in Chicago on vacation (after having moved away as a child), and there were three active tornado warnings for the city.  All hotel guests had to go down to the bottom floor until the warnings were cleared.  It was an Embassy Suites or something like that, with multiple floors and a lot of guests.

People forget, I think, that that part of the country does get tornadoes.

Yes, but they're much more common in May-June and much more rare in August.

These are doing some damage though.

[kphoger]

When I was last living in the area, I most recently lived in a six-flat (three floors, two apartments on each floor).  Mine was on the top floor.  No basement.  During tornado warnings, I used to just head down to where the laundry machines were on the ground floor.

[Roadgeekteen]

70s and cloudy

[kphoger]

It was nonetheless eye roll inducing to hear how many people really thought AC was an OSHA mandated item at certain outdoor temperatures.

They're probably the same people who claim there's an OSHA mandate that companies make their employees take a lunch break.  Oh wait, that was my own HR department a few years ago, in defense of forcing everyone in my former department to take a lunch break (nobody in the department wanted lunch breaks).  Until, that is, I asked the HR director to show me what specific legal regulation required it.

If people hear one or two others say that something is an OSHA reg, then they just believe it without checking.  Heck, as far as OSHA is concerned, your company can work you 24/7.

[Brandon]

Multiple tornado warnings in the Chicago metro.

And now we have a dew point of 80F in some areas here.  It's a freaking sauna outside.

[kphoger]

And now we have a dew point of 80F in some areas here.  It's a freaking sauna outside.

??

Do you mean a steam room?  Saunas are very dry.

[Max Rockatansky]

It was nonetheless eye roll inducing to hear how many people really thought AC was an OSHA mandated item at certain outdoor temperatures.

They're probably the same people who claim there's an OSHA mandate that companies make their employees take a lunch break.  Oh wait, that was my own HR department a few years ago, in defense of forcing everyone in my former department to take a lunch break (nobody in the department wanted lunch breaks).  Until, that is, I asked the HR director to show me what specific legal regulation required it.

If people hear one or two others say that something is an OSHA reg, then they just believe it without checking.  Heck, as far as OSHA is concerned, your company can work you 24/7.

Usually work place conjecture is the origin point of most that's OSHA complaints I've dealt with.  It's not hard to look OSHA regulations up but most people are either too lazy to do so or interpret them in a way that fits their narrative.

Interestingly I had an OSHA complaint from an auto port that was fully valid and surprisingly well detailed.  The air from the compressor unit was fed by PVC pipe instead of the proper PE piping.  When I was taking pictures after the compliant the guy who filed it told me he was the one who did it.  I guess it never occurred to him that he could call my office and I would have come to inspect (and shut them down all the same).

[Brandon]

And now we have a dew point of 80F in some areas here.  It's a freaking sauna outside.

??

Do you mean a steam room?  Saunas are very dry.

OK, steam room with the valves broken open.

[NWI_Irish96]

Multiple tornado warnings in the Chicago metro.

And now we have a dew point of 80F in some areas here.  It's a freaking sauna outside.

79 dewpoint at Lansing Airport right now. Pretty sure that's the highest I've ever experienced.

[Brandon]

Multiple tornado warnings in the Chicago metro.

And now we have a dew point of 80F in some areas here.  It's a freaking sauna outside.

79 dewpoint at Lansing Airport right now. Pretty sure that's the highest I've ever experienced.

80F at Joliet Regional Airport right now.  It was so humid this morning that the windshield fogged up as soon as I got out of the garage.

[ozarkman417]

Temperatures in the mid 90s (and heat advisories as a result of 100-110 degree heat indices) are back in the Ozarks, and just in time for fall sports at the high schools to begin 

[thspfc]

Big thunderstorm rolled in. It was the darkest that I've ever seen it at 6:00 PM in August. I was on US-14 near Fitchburg at that time and the straightline wind gusts were moving my car around.

[Roadgeekteen]

Around 90 and sunny