http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/heatwave/ en-us Mon, 7 Jul 2008 04:57:21 GMT Focus Forum 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2041695/posts LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Exhausted firefighters raced to contain hundreds of wildfires raging across California as forecasters warned on Sunday that a looming heatwave was set to deliver drier, hotter conditions. More than 330 wildfires blazed across the state, as firefighters focused their efforts near the tourist haven of Big Sur and the town of Goleta, near Santa Barbara, 103 miles (165 kilometers) north of Los Angeles. The blazes have burned around 559,000 acres (239,000 hectares) across California since igniting on June 20, when lightning from dry thunderstorms triggered a series of forest infernos. Firefighters reported some progress in their... AFP on Yahoo http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2041695/posts#comment Mon, 7 Jul 2008 04:57:21 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2028397/posts This time of year, global warming activists have another way to frighten the public – using steamy weather to suggest human greenhouse gas emissions are worsening a heat wave. Stanford University professor Dr. Stephen Schneider told ABC’s “Good Morning America” June 9 that methane and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are making hot temperatures even hotter. “While this heat wave like all other heat waves is made by Mother Nature, we've been fooling around by turning the knob and making a little bit hotter,” Schneider said. “[W]e’ve already increased by 35 percent the amount of carbon dioxide which traps heat.... businessandmedia.org http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2028397/posts#comment Mon, 9 Jun 2008 18:07:59 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1889952/posts About 2,600 people were without power Saturday as the city's electrical grid strained in the midst of a statewide heat wave, which was expected to bring triple-digit temperatures through the Labor Day weekend. Highs were expected to reach 113 in Woodland Hills in the San Fernando Valley and well over 100 in many other valley and desert areas of Southern California. At the same time, unstable weather caused by monsoonal moisture from the south prompted concerns of sudden thunderstorms in valleys, mountains and deserts. A flash-flood watch was in effect through Saturday for those areas in San Bernardino, Riverside and... AP on Bakersfield Californian http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1889952/posts#comment Sat, 1 Sep 2007 21:10:32 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1887517/posts New fires continue to break out around Greece The European Commission will put forward proposals this autumn for a standing EU force to respond to fires, floods and other major emergencies. The commission says the current system has its limits. In 2007, there has been flooding in the UK, a heat wave in central and southern Europe, and now forest fires in Greece, in which at least 60 people have died. But critics say the EU should release financial aid faster, rather than set up a civil protection force of its own. 'Better way' When Greece appealed for help... BBC http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1887517/posts#comment Tue, 28 Aug 2007 02:17:18 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1883423/posts NASHVILLE, Tennessee (AP) -- Authorities in Memphis and Alabama reported 10 more heat-related deaths Saturday, bringing the toll in the Southeast and Midwest to at least 49 since oppressive triple-digit temperatures settled over the region last week. A sign on Thursday tells the story about the heat in Huntsville, Alabama. In Memphis alone, heat has been blamed as a factor in 12 deaths, mostly elderly victims, in nine days. Memphis has had nine straight days of triple-digit temperatures and forecasters say the high could reach 102 on Sunday. The local health department said the city's heat index has broken 100... CNN.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1883423/posts#comment Sun, 19 Aug 2007 17:07:39 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1882436/posts ATHENS, Ala. -- The Tennessee Valley Authority shut down one of three units at the Browns Ferry nuclear plant on Thursday because water drawn from a river to cool the reactor was too hot, a spokesman said. The nation's largest public utility shut down Unit 2 about 5:42 p.m. CDT because water drawn from the Tennessee River was exceeding a 90-degree average over 24 hours, amid a blistering heat wave across the Southeast. "We don't believe we've ever shut down a nuclear unit because of river temperature," said John Moulton, spokesman for the Knoxville, Tenn.-based utility. __ TVA: http://www.tva.gov WAFF.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1882436/posts#comment Fri, 17 Aug 2007 10:03:37 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1871833/posts Heatwave turns southeastern Europe into tinderbox as fires rage Wed Jul 25, 7:18 PM ET ROME (AFP) - Southeastern Europe was a tinderbox Wednesday in the grip of an unrelenting heatwave that has claimed hundreds of lives as wildfires swept Italy and bit into a national park in Slovakia. Italy was sweltering under temperatures close to 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in places Wednesday and suffering devastating wildfires in central and southern regions. "We've had 85 calls so far already for airborne intervention against fires," a public safety official told AFP in the afternoon as fires raged in the Abruzzo,... news.yahoo.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1871833/posts#comment Thu, 26 Jul 2007 12:41:55 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1870953/posts BUCHAREST, Romania - Southern Europe sizzled under a heat wave Tuesday, with temperatures hitting triple digits for a seventh day in Romania, blazes forcing the evacuation of tourists in Croatia and Italy, and wildfires in Macedonia and Greece exploding shells from long-ago wars. At least 35 heat-related deaths were reported. Romanian authorities warned residents to stay indoors during the midday heat in the capital of Bucharest, one of five counties put on high alert because of the weather. At least 27 people have died in Romania since last week, with 12 deaths reported Monday, said Health Minister Eugen Nicolaescu. The... AP on Yahoo http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1870953/posts#comment Tue, 24 Jul 2007 21:03:01 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1863261/posts NEW YORK - The city opened nearly 300 cooling centers Monday as temperatures across much of the Northeast surpassed 90 degrees — the hottest in the metropolitan area since a heat wave last year that was blamed for 40 deaths. Extra utility crews were on hand in case of power outages, and Mayor Michael Bloomberg urged residents to help prevent blackouts by conserving power. He urged New Yorkers not to exert themselves in the sweltering conditions. "It is very hot," Bloomberg said. "I don't care how good a runner you are, I don't care how strong you are, you should... AP on Yahoo http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1863261/posts#comment Mon, 9 Jul 2007 23:31:57 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1861516/posts Temps Top 100 in West From Heat WaveJul 5, 7:52 PM (ET)By REBECCA BOONE (AP) Tourists walk in the shade to avoid the sunlight in Las Vegas, Thursday, July 5, 2007. A heat wave...   BOISE, Idaho (AP) - Sweltering residents across the West headed for lakes and rivers on Thursday, seeking relief from triple-digit temperatures expected to set records through at least Friday. (Snip) Around Las Vegas - where temperatures reached 109 degrees before 1 p.m. Thursday - transformers were overheating and causing electrical pole fires because of all the people switching on their air conditioners, said Scott Allison... Associated Press., MyWay http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1861516/posts#comment Fri, 6 Jul 2007 01:32:41 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1861288/posts A heat wave sizzling across the West showed little sign of letting up Thursday, with Las Vegas forecast to tie a record high and even northern Idaho expected to top 100 degrees. "You can become dehydrated really quick before you know it. You step outside and, 'wow,'" said Charlie Schlott, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Las Vegas. Las Vegas was expected to hit 116, which would tie a record for the date set in 1985. Near-record highs were also forecast for Southern California, where the mercury was expected to top 115 in desert. A high of 101... AP on Bakersfield Californian http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1861288/posts#comment Thu, 5 Jul 2007 17:36:05 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1681180/posts Metro OG&E Customers Report Outages In Moore, Norman POSTED: 3:54 pm CDT August 9, 2006 UPDATED: 6:31 pm CDT August 9, 2006OKLAHOMA CITY -- Almost 4,000 electricity customers were without power on Wednesday afternoon across central Oklahoma, according to the Oklahoma Gas & Electric Web site. As of 4 p.m., OG&E's System Watch electric-service outage monitor indicated 3,147 customers were without power in Moore and 658 were without power in Norman. As of 6 p.m., officials at the scene said about 2,400 customers were still without power. Investigators said they believe people trying to steal copper wire could be to... channeloklahoma.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1681180/posts#comment Thu, 10 Aug 2006 15:21:01 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1679157/posts Do you think the heat wave is related to global warming? Yes No Duh, it's summer I don't know Global warming is a myth Hagerstown (Md) Herald-Mail http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1679157/posts#comment Mon, 7 Aug 2006 14:16:56 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1677241/posts SACRAMENTO, Aug. 3 (UPI) -- Some U.S. heat-related deaths will be studied during a five-year project to determine global warming's link with heat-related ailments. California health officials have announced a plan to track heat-related deaths in a $4.5 million study funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the San Jose (Calif.) Mercury News reported. The study also will estimate how higher temperatures from global warming will boost the rate of deaths and illnesses during coming decades, including asthma emergencies and heart attacks. The research is believed to be the first such state study in the nation. "I... United Press International http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1677241/posts#comment Thu, 3 Aug 2006 19:33:00 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1676809/posts FRESNO, Calif. - Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger told farmers Wednesday that he's asked the federal government for loans to farmers who suffered more than $1 billion in losses during California's triple-digit heat wave. "We're going to do everything we can to get you up to speed as soon as we can," he said during a visit to Fresno, the state's top agriculture county. Farmers throughout the state suffered sunburned crops, fruits that cooked in the fields and hundreds of thousands of dead livestock. Milk production was cut by as much as 20 percent when overheated dairy cows stopped producing. Schwarzenegger sent... AP - San Luis Obispo Tribune http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1676809/posts#comment Thu, 3 Aug 2006 02:43:56 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1676787/posts Record-breaking heat and oppressive humidity made people across the eastern half of the country miserable Wednesday and sent tourists in the nation's capital scrambling for relief in the cool marble halls of Capitol Hill. Breitbart http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1676787/posts#comment Thu, 3 Aug 2006 01:43:38 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1676497/posts NEW YORK - Commuters up and down the East Coast sweated on their way to work Wednesday and others stayed close to fans and swimming pools as the temperature and humidity climbed back up to heat wave levels after a night of little relief. In the stifling subway tunnels, there was no air conditioning on three cars of the train Sayed Bukhari rode into Manhattan. "People were crying," Bukhari said. The National Weather Service posted heat advisories and warnings from Maine to Oklahoma. Triple-digit temperatures were forecast Wednesday along the East Coast as far north as parts of Maine and... AP on Yahoo http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1676497/posts#comment Wed, 2 Aug 2006 17:29:04 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1676308/posts by Mark Finkelstein August 2, 2006 - 08:17 The uniformed Cuban military officer pictured here barks commands at a smallish crowd in Havana that responds with pro-Fidel chants. Imagine you're an objective journalist. How would you report it? "The Castro regime orchestrates a public show of support," perhaps? Not Andrea Mitchell. Appearing on this morning's Today show, here's how she characterized what you have to imagine was a less-than-spontaneous event: "In Havana, Cubans turn out to show support for their long-time leader." No surprise. I did ask you to imagine how an 'objective' journalist would report it. Andrea managed to... Today Show/NewsBusters http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1676308/posts#comment Wed, 2 Aug 2006 12:58:10 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1675820/posts As sure as the sun rises in the east, when a heat wave engulfs the continental United States, it dawns on the media that “global warming” may be to blame. Such was the case with CBS’s Bob Orr on the July 31 “Evening News,” when the reporter consulted with Pew Center on Global Climate Change’s Jay Gulledge. “The average global temperature is getting hotter due to global warming,” Gulledge told Orr. “Gulledge says there’s no longer any serious debate” on climate change, Orr added. A short time later, Orr’s story was cut short just as Gulledge was explaining his theory... Business & Media Institute http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1675820/posts#comment Tue, 1 Aug 2006 17:10:39 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1675818/posts NYISO now reporting a record system load of 33,250 MW (NYISO covers NY & LI) Current Heat index @ Albany = 104.4F NYISO http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1675818/posts#comment Tue, 1 Aug 2006 17:07:12 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1674093/posts FRESNO, Calif. - The state appeared to break out of its nearly two-week heat wave Friday, but not before it caused as many as 141 deaths and did untold damage to crops. Authorities raised their toll of possibly heat-related deaths by more than 40 on Friday. The big increase came primarily from Los Angeles County and the Central Valley counties of Merced and Stanislaus, where coroners struggled to keep up. Stanislaus County, which includes Modesto, has reported 29 heat-related deaths. It normally sees just one such death a year, county emergency services spokesman David Jones said. California had been sizzling... AP - Monterey County Herald http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1674093/posts#comment Sat, 29 Jul 2006 03:08:08 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1673887/posts FRESNO, California (AP) -- The death toll from California's record-breaking heat wave rose to 123 Friday as weather forecasters announced that, for the first day in nearly two weeks, the temperature would stay below 100 degrees across most of the state. The vast majority of the deaths have been elderly people whose bodies don't cope as well in the heat, county coroners said. But there have also been younger people. A 38-year-old gardener collapsed on the job and died last week. On Wednesday, two brothers, ages 57 and 68, were found dead in a Bakersfield home without air conditioning. The... CNN http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1673887/posts#comment Fri, 28 Jul 2006 18:25:39 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1672798/posts California's growth patterns -- the migration to hot inland regions, construction of big new homes and paving of open space -- are contributing both to increasing temperatures and record demand for electricity. Experts say development choices can play a large role in making hot weather even hotter. "People usually talk of greenhouse gases. What's forgotten is what we've actually done to the surface of the planet,'' said Bill Patzert, a climatologist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena. "I call it extreme makeover warming.'' The housing boom in places like the Central Valley causes growing electricity demand during heat waves,... San Francisco Chronicle http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1672798/posts#comment Wed, 26 Jul 2006 21:26:04 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1672288/posts PARIS - Forty people have died in a heat wave that has gripped France for nearly two weeks, health officials said Tuesday. The government-run Health Institute said officials were to provide a detailed report on heat-related deaths Thursday. Temperatures have been in the high 90s across much of the country, reaching the low 100s in some southern areas. The hot weather has revived memories of the deadly summer of 2003, when 15,000 people in France died from the heat. Labor Minister Gerard Larches met with officials in the construction industry where employees often work long hours outdoors. YAHOO NEWS http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1672288/posts#comment Wed, 26 Jul 2006 02:44:53 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1672245/posts SACRAMENTO - The suspected death toll from more than a week of searing, triple-digit temperatures in California climbed to more than 50 Tuesday as residents sweated calls to cut power and the rotting carcasses of dairy cows baked in the sun. The stretch of 10 straight 100-plus degree scorchers marks the first time in 57 years that both Northern and Southern California - an area stretching nearly 900 miles - has experienced simultaneous, extended heat waves, Undersecretary for Energy Affairs Joe Desmond said. "This is a historic heat wave," he said, calling conditions "extreme." He also noted the average temperature... AP - Monterey County Herald http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1672245/posts#comment Wed, 26 Jul 2006 00:56:03 GMT