July 31, 2013

---

---

I don't really know how hot it was yesterday. I just know it was hot — as it always is here in summer.

I also know what the weather forecast says — triple digits today through Saturday, and nighttime lows that barely go below 80° — usually right around daybreak.

This morning's meter reading is 10497. Yesterday's reading was 10474 so consumption in the last 24 hours was 23 kWh. That's a modest drop, about 2%, compared to the previous 24 hours.

And it is a whopping 41% drop compared to this day in 2012.

July 30, 2013

---

---

The temperature was 93° (heat index 99°) shortly before 2 p.m. yesterday. That was still a few degrees short of the anticipated high, and I can only assume we made it. I didn't have the heart to check the conditions again.

This is a depressing time of the year. You want to keep your electricity consumption down, but, at some point, you just can't stand to feel hot and sweaty in your home and you give in and bring the setting down a degree or two.

And that does produce some momentary gratification, but all I can think is it must be similar to what gamblers experience when they're feeding coins into a slot machine. You feel good when those reels are spinning, but then they stop and you have to pay more to have that feeling again — and unless you get a payoff, it's always a temporary feeling.

This morning's meter reading is 10474. Yesterday's reading was between 10450 and 10451 so consumption in the last 24 hours was 23½ kWh. That is actually a drop of almost 15% from the day before.

And it is nearly 40% lower than my consumption on this day last year.

July 29, 2013

---

---

Yesterday was warmer than the day before. Not a lot warmer, but warmer nevertheless.

That is, essentially, the forecast for the next seven days — gradually warmer until, by the weekend, triple digits are anticipated.

Well, that could still change. This is Texas, and it is always risky to predict what the weather will be like here seven days from now.

But it's usually a safe bet that it's going to be hot here in the summer.

And, as I say, it was hot yesterday.

This morning's meter reading is between 10450 and 10451. Yesterday's reading was 10423 so my consumption in the last 24 hours was 27½ kWh. That is an increase of 10% over the previous 24 hours.

However, it is nearly 38% lower than my consumption on this date last year.

July 28, 2013

---

---

Perhaps naively, I hoped that the air conditioning wouldn't kick on at all yesterday.

But, of course, it did. This is July, you know.

But it was nearly 2:30 in the afternoon — when it was close to 90° — before it came ond — and then not for very long. And it didn't seem to come on as frequently yesterday as it has in previous days.

So I expected my electricity consumption to drop. I was hoping it would drop into the teens.

But, in fact, it went up a little.

This morning's meter reading is 10423. Yesterday's reading was 10398 so consumption was 25 kWh. That's an increase of 1½ kWh — a little more than 6% — over the previous 24 hours.

But it's a decrease of nearly 29% compared to this day in 2012.

July 27, 2013

---

---

Yesterday morning, it looked like we might be in for a relatively mild day. Temperatures were in the upper 70s until around noon or so.

By late afternoon, though, summer had seized the day. Literally. Around 4 p.m., the temperature was 94°, and the heat index was 99°.

Maybe it got warmer after that. I don't know. But it does appear that my electricity consumption went down.

This morning's meter reading is 10398. Yesterday's was between 10374 and 10375. That means my usage was 23½ kWh — a drop of more than 20% compared to the previous 24 hours. And, with a forecast high of 90° today, I'm hoping for another decline in the next 24 hours — if not the next 48.

Even better, my consumption went down nearly 33% compared to this day last year.

July 26, 2013

---

---

I knew we were in for a scorcher yesterday when the temperature was 93° and the heat index was 101° before 2 p.m.

This morning's meter reading — between 10374 and 10375 — confirms it. Yesterday's reading was 10345 so my consumption was 29½ kWh. That's an increase of 18% over the previous 24 hours.

Compared to this time last year, though, it is a decrease of more than 14%.

July 25, 2013

---

---

It can be exhausting trying to keep up with the weather forecasts around here.

Even in summer, when it seems that only one forecast — HOT! — is likely, even possible.

Take yesterday, for example. When I got up, the forecast called for triple digits and, at best, a slight chance for rain. But it was unexpectedly mild — although humid — when I went out to go to school. Once I was at school, my students told me the forecast was calling for highs around 90° and a 50% chance of rain, and I dared to hope we might have another useasonably mild July day.

And, in fact, when I left school shortly before noon, it did feel rather pleasant outside — warm but pleasant — for this time of year.

However, by mid–afternoon, the temperature was 96° and the heat index was 99°. It may have gone up after that. I don't know.

But when I checked my meter this morning, the reading was 10345. Yesterday's reading was 10320 so consumption in the last 24 hours was 25 kWh. That' a drop of 3 kWh from the previous 24 hours — or 12%.

Even better, it is a drop of nearly 30% compared to my usage on this date a year ago.

July 24, 2013

---

---

It was very hot and humid yesterday.

We were already in the 90s before noon — and the heat index was in triple digits. Shortly before 3 p.m., the temperature was 96°, and the heat index was 106°. An hour later, the temperature was 99°, and the heat index was 109°.

On such days — and I'm afraid we haven't seen the last of them this summer — you have to accept the fact that the air conditioning is going to run. A lot.

And mine did, but it wasn't as bad as I feared.

This morning's meter reading is 10320. Yesterday's reading was 10292 so consumption was 28 kWh — only 1 kWh higher than 24 hours ago. That's an increase of just under 4%.

Conditions were a little better on this day last year than they had been so consumption was down compared to the previous ones.

But my consumption on this date is more than 16% lower than last year's. That may not last.

Forecasts call for triple–digit air temperatures today through Friday, then a (temporary) cool front will bring the temperature down to about 91°l on Saturday. In the meantime, I'm bracing for more meter readings like the one this morning.

July 23, 2013

---

---

As I was driving to school yesterday morning, the radio warned that it would feel like 100° by midafternoon.

Screw that. Before noon, the air temperature was 91°, and the heat index was 99°. By 5 p.m., it was 98° with a heat index of 104°.

I didn't expect good news when I went to read my meter this morning. And I was right — well, partly.

This morning's meter reading is 10292. Yesterday's reading was 10265. Thus, my consumption was 27 kWh — which is higher than it has been nearly every day this year. So that isn't good.

Nor is it good that my consumption went up nearly 13% compared to the previous 24 hours.

However, my consumption is down about 26% compared to this date last year.

July 22, 2013

---

---

The heat is definitely back. It was 97° by 3 p.m. (with a 102° heat index), and the forecast calls for air temperatures in triple digits Wednesday through Friday.

It was certainly hot enough yesterday, whether the air temperature reached 100° or not, and, frankly, I was afraid of what I might find when I checked the meter this morning.

But it wasn't as bad as I thought.

Sure, this morning's reading is 10265. Yesterday's was 10241 so consumption was 24 kWh — which means my consumption went up 28% compared to the day before.

However ...

It's 42% lower than my consumption on this date last year.

July 21, 2013

---

---

Yesterday was a lot like the day before — hot and humid, followed by a brief period when it got cloudy and thunder could be heard.

But this time, the rain never materialized. However, it did seem to be a little cooler when the sun went down than it was the day before.

As I often think to myself before I check my meter, I didn't know what to expect this morning.

My meter reading today is between 10240 and 10241. Yesterday's reading was 10221 so my usage was 19½ kWh. That's a drop of about 2.5%.

Once again, the truly dramatic drop can be seen when today's consumption level is compared to last year's — and compared to my usage a year ago today, my consumption is down about 39%.

July 20, 2013

---

---

Yesterday was a reminder that the weather in Dallas in July can be, well, freaky.

It was in the 90s before noon, and, with high humidity, the heat index was near 100° in the early afternoon. But then, around 3 p.m., some kind of front moved into the area, bringing thunder and some drizzly rain. By 4 p.m., the temperature was 84°. It dropped to around 80° before sundown.

Go figure.

I had no idea what to expect when I checked my meter this morning. But I was pleasantly surprised.

This morning's meter reading is 10221. Yesterday's reading was 10201 so consumption was 20 kWh. That's a drop of ½ kWh — or just under 3%.

It's a considerable drop from my usage on this date last year — when, apparently, a more seasonal stretch of weather was beginning around here. Consumption on this date last year was 37 kWh so my usage is down by nearly 47%.

July 19, 2013

---

---

It was certainly clear yesterday that the heat was back.

The temperature was in the 90s by early afternoon, and all the rain we got in the early part of the week elevated the humidity, making the heat index go up.

I expected my electricity consumption to go up, and it did — but not by as much as I feared.

Today's meter reading is 10201. Yesterday's reading was between 10180 and 10181 so consumption was 20½ kWh — a 17% increase.

Well, you know, as low as the temperature dropped earlier this week, it was inevitable that consumption would increase as the temperature became more seasonal. And this is, as I have mentioned before, July in Texas.

Compared to last year, however, consumption went down, even though the temperatures seem to have been about the same. The decline was more than one–third.

July 18, 2013

---

---

It was nice while it lasted, but I guess the hot weather is officially back.

The temperature was 91° shortly before 3 p.m. yesterday, and the heat index was 97°. I'm sure it got hotter as the day progressed. I just don't know how hot.

But I do know that, starting today, the forecast is calling for daytime highs in the mid– to upper 90s for the next week. A slight chance of rain will remain in the forecast but probably not enough to bring the temperature down.

This morning's meter reading is between 10180 and 10181. Yesterday's reading was 10163 so my electricity consumption in the last 24 hours was 17½ kWh. That isn't bad at all for mid–July, but it is an increase of nearly 38% over the previous 24 hours.

However, it is about a 42% drop in my usage compared to the same date a year ago.

July 17, 2013

---

---

The cool front seems to have passed through. By 4 p.m., the temperature was 90° — first time since Saturday.

Actually, I heard on the radio yesterday that Monday's high (74°) set a record for the lowest high ever on July 15 in Dallas. It broke a record that had existed for more than 100 years.

It's been unbelievably pleasant around here the last few days, but the heat began returning yesterday.

Even so, enough cool air had built up in my apartment over the last few days (and nights) that the temperature didn't get warm enough to trigger my air conditioning until late in the afternoon.

That 90° stuff didn't last long, anyway. Another front moved through and brought some rain. And, after the rain stopped, the temperature was in the 70s by 6:30.

This morning's meter reading is 10163. Yesterday's reading was between 10151 and 10152 so consumption was 11½ kWh. That's an increase of nearly 44% — but it is still awfully good for the middle of July.

But even though we were experiencing a cool front at this time last year that kept my consumption down, my usage was still down by about 52% in the last 24 hours.

July 16, 2013

---

---

Yesterday was another cool day. It was in the 70s and drizzly all day, and I doubt that my air conditioning ever came on.

My electricity consumption was in single digits in the last 24 hours. This morning's meter reading is between 10151 and 10152. Yesterday's reading was between 10143 and 10144 so consumption was 8 kWh. That is a drop of nearly 24% from the previous 24–hour period. Conditions were roughly the same so I can only attribute it to the fact that I was at school yesterday morning and did not use my appliances to the extent that I did on Sunday.

It is supposed to be in the upper 80s today so that low consumption level will not continue.

However, even though we were experiencing a cool front at this time last year, my usage this year is well below what it was on this day in 2012. A year ago, my consumption was 19 kWh so consumption is down nearly 58%.

July 15, 2013

---

---

I don't think I have ever seen a day in July in Dallas like the one we had yesterday — and I have been here for at least part of nearly every summer of my life.

At 4 p.m., the temperature was in the mid–70s, which is roughly where it was all day. The day was overcast, and we had a light but steady rain.

My air conditioning never came on once all day. In July, that's practically unheard of.

Today is supposed to be warmer — but only into the low 80s, then they say it will be around 87° tomorrow so it is possible my air conditioning won't run today and may not run very much tomorrow. More summerlike temperatures will return to the area on Wednesday, they say, but even those temperatures won't be as high as the ones we were coping with last week.

This morning's meter reading is between 10143 and 10144. Yesterday's reading was 10133. Considering how mild it was, I hoped my electricity consumption would be in single digits. It didn't miss by much. My usage was 10½ kWh. My usage in the previous 24 hours was 33 kWh, so consumption went down by a whopping 68%!

Last year on this date, consumption was 27 kWh so my usage for the date is down 61%.

July 14, 2013

---

---

The forecasters have been sticking to their guns on their forecast of 80s today and tomorrow, then low 90s on Tuesday and Wednesday. I hope they're right.

It's hard to believe, though, when you consider that yesterday afternoon, around 5 p.m., the temperature was 101°, and the heat index was 104°. It's hard for me to believe that today's high will be about 15 degrees lower than the reading at 5 p.m. yesterday.

But that's their story. We'll see if they're right.

This morning's meter reading is 10133. Yesterday's reading was 10100. Consumption in the last 24 hours has been 33 kWh, which is almost a 6% drop since the previous 24–hour period.

Apparently, the temperatures on this date last year were in the low 90s. Consumption was 27 kWh, which is about 22% lower than the current usage, even though yesterday was about 10 degrees warmer than the same date in 2012.

The weather lately has made my daily consumption higher than the same days a year ago. Hopefully, we can catch up in the next couple of days.

July 13, 2013

---

---

At 3 p.m. yesterday, the temperature was 99°, and the heat index was 102°. The forecast called for a high of 102°, the temperature was in triple digits by 4 p.m., and sometime, I am certain, it made it to the forecast high.

But if the forecasts are correct, we won't be in triple digits again at least for another week — after today, that is — and we may be closer to the 80s than to triple digits on some days next week.

Tuesday's forecast, for example, calls for a high of 91°. I'll grant you, that one is a little hard to swallow in Texas in mid–July — but it seems totally plausible compared to the predictions for tomorrow (87°) and Monday (89°).

Well, currently, my meter reading is 10100. Yesterday's reading was 10065 so consumption was 35 kWh. I believe that is my highest 24–hour consumption total since our cold snap in December–January. It represents an increase of 23% over the previous 24 hours.

A year ago on this day, temperatures were roughly 7 or 8 degrees lower — and, consequently, my consumption was lower — than it has been around here in the last 24 hours. But my consumption on July 13, 2012, was 29 kWh so, by comparison, my consumption is up around 21%.

July 12, 2013

---

For most of yesterday, it seemed like we were going to have another scorcher. And, as I say, it was — until around 6 p.m. Then a cool front (most likely, a very temporary one) came through and actually did drop a little rain.

The temperature probably only dropped about 6 or 7 degrees, from the low 100s to the mid–90s — but it was noticeable.

And I believe it brought my electricity consumption down — a bit.

This morning's meter reading is 10065. Yesterday's reading was between 10037 and 10038 so my consumption in the last 24 hours was 28½ kWh. Yesterday's consumption was 33½ kWh so my usage went down nearly 15%.

And, compared to this date last year, consumption went down nearly 14%.

July 11, 2013

---

---

I don't know if the temperature ever reached the forecast high of 101° yesterday — but I do know the temperature at noon was 2 degrees warmer than it was at the same time Tuesday. It was 100° at 8 last night.

And it was 86° when I got up this morning.

What's more, my air conditioning (which was set around 85°) kicked on yesterday morning when I was getting ready to go to school.

It is safe to say I expected an increase in my electricity usage. And I was right.

This morning's meter reading is between 10037 and 10038. Yesterday's reading was 10004 so consumption was 33½ kWh. That's an increase of nearly 20% over my consumption in the previous 24 hours.

Consumption on this date a year ago was 29 kWh — but, based on my blog entry, the temperature was at least 6 or 7 degrees lower than it was yesterday. Anyway, my consumption for July 11 this year is nearly 16% higher than it was a year ago.

July 10, 2013

---

---

Temperatures are supposed to reach triple digits every day until this weekend — and, by the time the weekend gets here, that may be extended through next week. July is usually the hottest month on the calendar in north Texas (August is usually a very close second).

By noon, I was home from teaching my first session of my summer class, and the temperature was already 93° (heat index was 95°). I'm sure it was worse later in the day. I just don't know how bad it got.

I know how bad it was when I got up this morning, though — 86°. I have no doubt the temperature will be in triple digits before the sun goes down — well before.

This morning's meter reading is 10004. Yesterday's reading was 9976 so consumption was 28 kWh — same as it has been for the last few days.

A year ago on this date, we were enjoying a modest cool front, and my cosumption was 27 kWh so my usage compared to a year ago went up 1 kWh — or just under 4%.

July 9, 2013

---

---

Yesterday's forecast was for a high of around 95° and a heat index near 100°. The temperature reached at least 97°, and, as humid as it was, I'm sure the heat index went beyond triple digits.

The forecast for the next four or five days is grim, to say the least. If it doesn't get up to 100° each day, it will be very close. It isn&apost;t supposed to drop to the mid–90s until Sunday and Monday, and nighttime lows are expected to be around 80° — in the upper 70s if we're lucky.

I'll be leaving for my first summer session class in a couple of hours. That will keep me busy four mornings a week for the next five weeks.

Anyway, this morning's meter reading is 9976. Yesterday's reading was 9948 so consumption in the last 24 hours was 28 kWh. That is precisely the same as my usage in the previous 24 hours. No change.

And it is almost the same as my consumption at this time last year. The weather was cooler on this date in 2012 than it has been lately — or is predicted to be. Nevertheless, my consumption is down ½ kWh — or just under 2% — compared to this date last year.

July 8, 2013

---

---

The temperature was already in the 90s by lunchtime yesterday. The forecast called for a high of 97°, and that is probably the best it will be all week — well, with the exception of today, which is supposed to be 96°.

Anyway, I didn't bother to monitor the temperature through the afternoon to see if the forecast high was reached or exceeded. I know it was hot. You don't need a degree in meteorology to know it is going to be hot in Dallas in July.

Well, usually.

This morning's meter reading is 9948. Yesterday's meter reading was 9919. Consumption, therefore, was 29 kWh. Yesterday's usage level was 28 kWh so it went up less than 4% in the last 24 hours.

A cool front came through the area this time last year, and my electricity consumption was 26 kWh, which means my consumption compared to this date last year is up nearly 12%.

July 7, 2013

---

---

The forecast suggests — as does the calendar — that we are now in the time of year when we can expect nighttime lows to be around 80° and daytime highs to be at least 95°.

I'm pretty sure the temperature was in the upper 90s yesterday, and it was supposed to drop into the mid–70s last night. I don't know if it did, but I know it was 79° when I got up around 6:30.

Today's meter reading is 9919. Yesterday's reading was 9891 so consumption was 28 kWh. That's an increase of nearly 17% over the previous 24 hours.

But I still consumed less electricity than I did on this date last year. On July 7, 2012, my consumption was 34½ kWh so my usage on this date went down when compared to the same date a year ago — by nearly 19%.

July 6, 2013

---

---

There is an interesting dynamic at work here these days.

In spite of all the lakes and rivers in this area, our humidity has been making our daily heat indices lower than the actual temperatures. That's the kind of thing that one sees in areas that don't have much in the way of lakes and/or rivers. As I have written here before, I used to see that kind of thing in Oklahoma.

I don't know what affect, if any, a heat index that is lower than the actual temperature has on my electricity consumption. For that matter, I don't know what affect a heat index that is higher than the actual temperature has on my electricity consumption, either. All I know to do is that it is hot — and, because of that, I try to run things less.

And that is what I tried to do. But I expected my usage to go up with the outside temperature.

I was in for a surprise today.

Yesterday, the forecast called for a high of 96°. I checked on conditions around 3 p.m. and the temperature was 95° (heat index 94°). Close enough. An hour later, the temperature was 96°, and the heat index was 95°.

This morning's meter reading is 9891. Yesterday's meter reading was 9867. Consumption in the last 24 hours has been 24 kWh, which is a decline of just below 8% from the previous 24 hours.

The drop is even more dramatic when compared to my consumption on July 6 of last year. This year's consumption was down by 33%.

July 5, 2013

---

---

As the Fourth of July goes in this part of the world, yesterday wasn't bad. It was hot, but it wasn't as hot as it often is.

By the middle of the afternoon, the temperature was 94°, and the heat index was 92°. I don't know if the temperature rose any higher than that, but, if it did, it didn't go up by much. That's closer to what we normally expect around here on the Fourth of July, but it still seems cool by comparison.

Electricity consumption reflected the higher temperature.

This morning's meter reading is 9867. Yesterday's reading was 9841. Consumption was 26 kWh. That is an increase of more than 44% compared to the previous 24–hour period.

But it is nearly 26% lower than my consumption on this date in 2012.

July 4, 2013

---

---

At 2 p.m. yesterday, the temperature was 90°, and the heat index was 87°. In some places, that's really hot, even for the day before the Fourth of July. In my experience, it's hot — but not nearly as hot as it could be around here.

By 4 p.m. it was 91° — same heat index. In other words, roughly the same conditions as we had on Monday and Tuesday — and I expected roughly the same electricity consumption.

The weather forecast says we'll be gradually warming into more seasonable temperatures this weekend and next week, but here we are on the Fourth of July, and the forecast indicates we will just barely get into the 90s today.

The temperature was supposed to drop into the 60s last night. Maybe it did, but it didn't last. When I got up around 6:15 this morning, the temperature was 75°.

But back to my electricity consumption ...

This morning's meter reading is 9841. Yesterday's meter reading was 9823. My consumption was 18 kWh, which is ½ kWh higher than yesterday — an increase of less than 3%.

A year ago today, my consumption was 29 kWh. That's a drop of nearly 38%.

July 3, 2013

---

---

By 2 p.m. yesterday, the temperature was 89° (heat index 86°). A couple of hours later, it was 90°, heat index 87°.

I don't know if we went past the 90° threshold or not, but I do know that, if we didn't, we almost certainly will today — and every day through this weekend.

That is surely to be expected. This is July, after all. And low 90s is pretty good for Texas in July.

But 80s are better — and the last couple of days have been pleasant especially the mornings with temperatures in the upper 60s. I will miss that — until it returns, probably in October.

This morning's meter reading is 9823. Yesterday's reading was between 9805 and 9806 so consumption was 17½ kWh — only ½ kWh higher than yesterday. That's an increase of less than 3% over the previous 24–hour period.

Last year on this date, temperatures were apparently cooler than they had been, but my consumption was still higher than it is today. Last year's consumption was 25 kWh so, once again, my consumption is lower — 32% lower, to be exact.

July 2, 2013

---

---

I'm really astonished. The weather forecast has come true – so far.

At 4 p.m. yesterday, the temperature was 88°, and the heat index was 86°. As long as I have lived in north Texas, I never thought I would be able to say July 1 and 88° in the same sentence. That isn't exactly cool — but it is cooler than it has been. And they say it will be the same today.

Well, almost. Revised forecasts now call for today's high to be near 90°. That is a little disappointing — as is my usage for the last 24 hours.

This morning's meter reading is another 'tweener, between 9805 and 9806. Yesterday's reading was also a 'tweener — between 9788 and 9789. Consumption was 17 kWh — which was a decline from the previous day, but it just wasn't as much as I had hoped for — slightly more than 10%.

And it was a decline over this time last year, but apparently the weather was cooler on this day last year than it had been the day before so the decline wasn't as pronounced as it ordinarily would be.

Nevertheless, compared to July 2 of 2012, my consumption dropped more than 36%.

July 1, 2013

---

---

It wasn't exactly cool yesterday, but it was much more pleasant than it has been, and, if the weather forecasts are correct, the next three days should be nicer still.

Around 3 p.m. yesterday, the temperature here was 92° and the heat index was 89°. That sure beats what it's been, and it makes me think those predictions of highs in the 80s in the early part of the week might just come true after all.

And it really did cool off during the night. When I got up this morning, the temperature was 71° — and forecasts say we can expect lows in the upper 60s for the next three or four nights.

This morning's meter reading seems to be a 'tweener, between 9788 and 9789. Yesterday's reading was also a 'tweener — between 9769 and 9770. That is roughly 19 kWh, and it represents a drop of nearly 30% in electricity usage from the previous 24 hours. (I'm really hoping to see similarly dramatic drops in consumption in the next few days.)

The decline is even more dramatic when you compare it to this date last year. Usage is down more than 43% compared to this date in 2012.