February 28, 2014

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Yesterday wasn't exactly warm, but it was milder than it has been lately with temperatures in the 50s.

Last night's forecast low was supposed to be 44°, but it was actually 43° when I got up this morning.

This morning's meter reading is between 15137 and 15138. Yesterday's reading was 15109 so consumption in the last 24 hours has been 28½ kWh. That's about 44% lower than the previous 24 hours, but it is about five times my consumption of a year ago.

February 27, 2014

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The forecast yesterday called for a high in the low 40s. I assume it made it. I was in the newsroom all afternoon, but the temperature when I left was 42°.

The low last night was expected to be in the 20s. The actual forecast called for 27°. I don't know if it got that cold or not, but I know it got close. The temperature when I got up this morning was 30°.

This morning's meter reading is 15109. Yesterday's reading was 15058. My consumption in the last 24 hours has been 51 kWh. That is nearly 46% higher than yesterday's consumption rate — and it seems to be about 10 times my consumption of a year ago.

The immediate forecast indicates some relief is at hand. Today's high is supposed to be in the 50s, then 70s are in the forecast for tomorrow and Saturday.

February 26, 2014

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The temperature was supposed to be in the low 50s yesterday, and I think it made it. Barely. Today it is only supposed to get into the 40s. Again, barely.

The low was supposed to be near freezing. It was 34° when I got up this morning so I assume that prediction came true as well. Roughly the same is expected tonight.

It should be no surprise that I expected my electricity consumption to go up. It's been running in single digits for nearly two weeks, but I haven't been running my heat. The last 24 hours were different.

This morning's meter reading is 15058. Yesterday's reading was 15023 so my consumption in the last 24 hours has been 35 kWh, nearly six times my consumption in the previous 24 hours and on this day in 2013.

February 25, 2014

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It was cooler yesterday than it has been, probably in the upper 50s. It wasn't expected to be quite as cool last night as it was the night before, when it was in the 40s.

Last night's forecast was for a low of about 50°. It got colder than that. It was 48° when I got up this morning.

Now we must brace ourselves for 36–48 hours (maybe more) of very cold weather. Today's high will be in the low 50s, the forecasters say, then the lows tonight and tomorrow night are expected to be around freezing, and tomorrow's high is only supposed to be in the low to mid–40s. It's supposed to be back in the 50s by Thursday.

This morning's meter reading is 15023. Yesterday's reading was between 15016 and 15017 so my consumption was 6½ kWh. That's about 8% higher than the previous 24 hours, and it is 7% lower than my consumption on this date in 2013.

February 24, 2014

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Now we begin our temperature descent. I'm hoping it will be temporary and we can enjoy some spring weather soon.

Yesterday's temperature seems to have risen into the 70s during the afternoon, which was higher than predicted. Last night's low was expected to be 43°. It was 45° so I'm pretty sure that, if it didn't drop that low, it came close.

Today's forecast calls for a high of 58°, then tonight's low is supposed to be 50°. Forecasters say the low tomorrow night and Wednesday night will be in the 30s, and Wednesday's high will be 42°, then warmer into the weekend.

This morning's meter reading is between 15016 and 15017. Yesterday's reading was between 15010 and 15011. Consumption in the last 24 hours was 6 kWh, same as yesterday — and 33% lower than this date in 2013.

February 23, 2014

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Cooler weather is supposed to return in the coming days, but yesterday was mild and today is expected to be mild as well. A few days ago, the forecast was calling for temperatures in the 70s today, but the revised forecast says it will only get to 66° today.

Temperatures were in the 70s yesterday, and the low last night was only supposed to be about 55°. Did it make it? I don't know. It was 56° when I got up this morning.

This morning's meter reading is between 15010 and 15011. Yesterday's reading was between 15004 and 15005. My consumption in the last 24 hours has been 6 kWh. That's about 9% higher than the previous 24 hours and nearly 8% lower than this date in 2013.

February 22, 2014

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Yesterday was a mild day. I think the forecast called for a high in the upper 60s, possibly low 70s. By the time I left the Richland newsroom, it was probably in the low 60s.

But that was also after the sun went down so I don't know how warm it was in the warmest part of the day.

Last night's forecast called for a low around 48°. It was 49° when I got up this morning so my guess is it probably got there during the night.

Somehow, my consumption went down.

This morning's meter reading is between 15004 and 15005. Yesterday's reading was 14999 so my consumption has been 5½ kWh in the last 24 hours. That's a drop of more than 8% compared to the previous 24 hours, and it is more than 15% lower than my consumption level of a year ago.

February 21, 2014

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I was in the newsroom all afternoon so I don't know how warm it got. I only know what the forecast called for — the temperature was supposed to reach a high of 70° around noon, then steadily drop.

Did that happen? I don't know. But my guess is that it was in the 60s when I walked to my truck around 5 p.m.

Last night's low was supposed to be around 40°, possibly a few degrees lower. I suppose that came to pass. It was 39° when I got up today.

Nevertheless, my consumption remained in single digits.

This morning's meter reading is 14999. Yesterday's reading was 14993. My consumption in the last 24 hours was 6 kWh. That is 25% lower than the previous 24 hours, and it is nearly 17% lower than a year ago on this date.

February 20, 2014

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The temperature is expected to be cooler — but not exactly cold — in the next few days. It is expected to reach 70° this morning, then drop into the 60s this afternoon.

The forecast calls for a low tonight of 39° — it was in the upper 60s when I got up this morning — then the forecast indicates nighttime lows in the 40s and 50s for the next seven days.

It's a volatile forecast, likely to change. That's what living in Texas is like, especially at this time of the year.

This morning's meter reading is 14993. Yesterday's reading was 14985. My consumption in the last 24 hours was 8 kWh, which is about 23% higher than the previous 24 hours and 33% higher than this date in 2013.

February 19, 2014

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I was looking at the online weather conditions yesterday, and I saw something I haven't seen in months — Heat Index. The temperature at the time was 77°, but the heat index was 78°.

It was warmer last night than it was the night before. At least, it seemed so. The forecast called for a low of 56° — but it was nearly 70° at 9 p.m., and it was 63° when I got up this morning.

Today's high is supposed to be in the upper 70s. Tonight's low is expected to be around 60°. The extended forecast has been changed, though. Now, it calls for highs in the 60s for the next several days, which is much more seasonable for February than the 70s — even low 80s — we've been experiencing lately.

This morning's meter reading is 14985. Yesterday's reading was between 14978 and 14979 so consumption was 6½ kWh, which is a drop of a little more than 13% compared to the previous 24 hours, and it is about 7% lower than my consumption on this date last year.

February 18, 2014

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The mild weather continues. It was in the mid–70s yesterday. If the forecasts are correct, it will be in the upper 70s today.

The high yesterday was in the 70s. Last night's low was expected to be in the 40s. I have no idea if it got that cool, but it may have. It was 50° when I got up this morning.

As far as I know, the heat never kicked on in the last 24 hours. There was no significant difference in my consumption yesterday compared to the day before. But my consumption still went up. It stayed in single digits, but it still went up.

This morning's meter reading is between 14978 and 14979. Yesterday's reading was 14971. My consumption in the last 24 hours was 7½ kWh. That is a 25% increase over the previous 24 hours, and it is 15% higher than my consumption on this date in 2013.

February 17, 2014

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Yesterday's revised forecasts called for a high in the upper 60s, but it was already 70° by 1 p.m., mid–70s by the middle of the week. It was hard to believe it had been 35–40 degrees cooler less than a week before.

It remained mild last night. The forecast called for a low of 57°. I don't know if it made it. The temperature was 63° when I got up.

This morning's meter reading is 14971. Yesterday's reading was 14965. My consumption was 6 kWh, which is actually an increase of about 9% over my consumption in the previous 24 hours.

But it's a decrease of nearly 43% compared to this date in 2013.

February 16, 2014

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I know yesterday's temperature got to 69°. It might even have reached 70° for awhile.

The forecast for the next several days suggests that the temperature will be in the 70s every day — and lows will be in the 50s, for the most part.

Last night's low was supposed to be around 44°, but I don't think it ever got that cold. The temperature when I got up was 51°.

This morning's meter reading is 14965. Yesterday's reading was between 14959 and 14960 so consumption was 5½ kWh, same as yesterday. And it is nearly half my consumption of a year ago.

February 15, 2014

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I was in the Richland newsroom all afternoon yesterday so I don't know firsthand what the high was. But I checked the online weather report around 5 p.m., and it reported a temperature of 69°.

I assume that means it was in the 70s for awhile. The forecast calls for a high of 67° today, followed by a string of days in the 70s. Personally, I wouldn't be surprised if it is in the low 70s today.

Last night's low was supposed to be around 36°. It did get cold last night. I don't know if it was quite that cold, but I do know it was 38° when I got up this morning.

This morning's meter reading is between 14959 and 14960. Yesterday's reading was 14954 so consumption was a mere 5½ kWh in the last 24 hours. That's about 67% lower than the previous 24 hours — and, for a change, it is also lower than it was a year ago, by about 15%.

February 14, 2014

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The temperature rose into the 60s yesterday as expected.

This morning's meter reading is 14954. Yesterday's reading was between 14937 and 14938. Thus, my consumption was16½ kWh. That is more than 41% lower than the previous 24 hours, but it is still more than double my consumption of a year ago.

February 13, 2014

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Yesterday's temperature was warmer than it has been. After a couple of sub–40° days, the temperature was predicted to be in the upper 40s yesterday — by 4 p.m., the temperature was 50° — and the extended forecast calls for daytime highs in the 60s and 70s through the weekend and into the first couple of days of next week.

I don't what the low was expected to be last night. I just know it was 34° when I got up this morning.

This morning's meter reading is between 14937 and 14938. Yesterday's reading was between 14909 and 14910. That means consumption in the last 24 hours has been 28 kWh — nearly half of my consumption in the previous 24 hours.

And it wasn't as much of an increase over my consumption a year ago as it has been — but it was still an increase, more than four times what my consumption was on this date a year ago.

February 12, 2014

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Yesterday was another gloomy, cold day. The temperature hovered around freezing most of the day, and it was cold last night.

The gradual warming trend is supposed to begin today. It can't start soon enough for me.

This morning's meter reading is between 14909 and 14910. Yesterday's reading was between 14854 and 14855. In the last 24 hours, my consumption was 55 kWh. That is an increase of nearly 9% compared to the previous 24 hours, and it is 10 times my consumption on this date in 2013.

February 11, 2014

Yesterday was the first of two days in which highs of maybe 33° or 34° were predicted. Lows weren't expected to be much lower, but freezing rain was predicted for last night.

Well, yesterday's high was right around freezing, maybe a degree above or a degree below. I don't know what last night's low was. The temperature was 29° when I got up.

More of the same is in the forecast for today, than talk is of a high in the 40s tomorrow, 50s on Thursday, 60s on Friday and 70s this weekend.

This morning's meter reading is between 14854 and 14855. Yesterday's reading was 14804 so my consumption was 50½ kWh. That's nearly 49% higher than the previous 24 hours, and it is more than six times my consumption a year ago today.

February 10, 2014

The forecast called for a high in the 50s yesterday, but I don't think it made it.

The sky was overcast all day, and there was a chill in the air that told me the temperature stayed in the 40s all day.

Last night's low was supposed to be close to freezing. When I got up, the temperature was 35°.

This morning's meter reading is 14804. Yesterday's reading was 14770. Thus, my consumption was 34 kWh in the last 24 hours. That is nearly double my consumption in the previous 24 hours, and it is nearly four times my consumption on this date last year.

February 9, 2014

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After a cold start to the day, the temperature finally warmed into the low 50s yesterday afternoon, and it wasn't quite as cold last night as it has been.

When I got up this morning, the temperature was 40°.

This morning's meter reading is 14770. Yesterday's reading was between 14752 and 14753 so my consumption was only 17½ kWh. My consumption went down nearly 62% in the last 24 hours, but it was nearly 2½ times my consumption on this date last year.

February 8, 2014

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Yesterday was another very cold day. The forecast called for a high just above freezing, which is warmer than it has been. I was indoors nearly all day so I don't know if it ever got past freezing, but I do know that most of the snow that was on the ground when I arrived on campus this morning was gone when I left around 5:15.

A bank clock that I passed on the way home said it was 31°.

It was only supposed to drop a few degrees last night, then the highs today and tomorrow are expected to be in the 50s. I expect my electricity consumption to drop dramatically this weekend. but it will probably go up again on Monday and Tuesday, which is when the next cold front is expected.

This morning's meter reading is between 14752 and 14753. Yesterday's reading was between 14706 and 14707 so my consumption in the last 24 hours has been 46 kWh. That's a drop of more than 34% compared to the previous 24 hours, but it is still more than seven times my consumption on this date last year (when it was much warmer).

February 7, 2014

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The snow I mentioned yesterday morning turned into more of an event later in the morning.

We didn't get much snow, but what we got was enough to mess up traffic, causing several accidents.

The temperature never got above freezing, then dipped to around 20° last night, and my electricity consumption shows how cold it was.

This morning's meter reading is between 14706 and 14707. Yesterday's reading was between 14630 and 14631. My consumption was a staggering 76 kWh — probably the highest I have ever had in this apartment. That is nearly 26% higher than my consumption in the previous 24 hours, and it is nearly nine times my consumption on this date in 2013.

I am seriously ready for some springlike weather. I'm tired of being cold all the time.

February 6, 2014

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Yesterday was much colder than it has been. If the temperature got above freezing, it did so just barely — and very briefly. Most of the day, the temperature was in the 20s.

And last night's low was supposed to be 17°. I don't know if it got quite that cold, but it was 19° when I got up this morning. And a light snow is falling as I write this.

This morning's meter reading is between 14630 and 14631. Yesterday's reading was 14570 so my consumption in the last 24 hours has been 60½ kWh. That's 55% higher than my consumption in the previous 24 hours, and it is more than seven times my consumption on this date in 2013.

February 5, 2014

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The temperature got into the 40s yesterday, but a cold front was expected last night. I guess it arrived as expected because the temperature was 28° when I got up this morning.

The rain has moved out of the area. It is a little cloudy this morning, but rain is not in the forecast. We do, however, have a brisk breeze this morning that makes it feel colder than it is.

This morning's meter reading is 14570. Yesterday's reading was 14531. My consumption in the last 24 hours was 39 kWh. That's nearly 22% higher than the previous 24 hours, and it is six times my consumption of a year ago.

February 4, 2014

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It was still cold yesterday but not quite as cold as it was the day before. The temperature got into the low 40s, and last night's low was predicted to be in the upper 30s with rain.

That prediction also came to pass. The temperature was 38° when I got up this morning. We also got some light rain during the night.

This morning's meter reading is 14531. Yesterday's reading was 14499 so my consumption in the last 24 hours was 32 kWh. That's 34% lower than my consumption in the previous 24 hours, but it is more than triple my consumption on this date in 2013.

February 3, 2014

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Remarkably, it probably was colder here in Texas yesterday than it was in New York for the Super Bowl.

It remained in the 30s all day (and probably during the night — it was 31° when I got up this morning).

The weather is supposed to be warmer today and tomorrow, then it is supposed to cool off again in the middle of the week. I'm eager for some springlike weather — but the problem with Dallas, as I have often observed, is that the typically mild seasons of spring and fall last only about two weeks here, then we are plunged into extremes again. Just last week, we went from a day in the 70s to a day in the 30s within a matter of hours.

This morning's meter reading is 14499. Yesterday's reading was between 14450 and 14451. My consumption in the last 24 hours was 48½ kWh. That is an increase of nearly 80% compared to the previous 24 hours and more than six times my consumption on this date in 2013.

February 2, 2014

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The cold weather returned yesterday.

Original forecasts said the temperature would reach 60° yesterday, but I doubt that it made it to 50°. Probably fell well short of that, in fact.

It was cooler last night, too. Not quite freezing, probably. When I got up, the temperature was 34°.

A wintry mix of rain, freezing rain and snow is predicted for later in the day so I plan a quick trip to the store this morning, then I'll hunker down and watch the Super Bowl.

This morning's meter reading is between 14450 and 14451. Yesterday's reading was between 14423 and 14424. In the last 24 hours, consumption was 27 kWh. That is more than triple my usage in the previous 24 hours, and it is about six times my consumption on this date last year.

February 1, 2014

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I was on campus all afternoon yesterday, advising the student newspaper staff, so I don't know if the temperature reached the 70s as predicted. It was mild — probably in the 50s — when I left my apartment, and it was probably in the 50s when I came home.

It remained mild overnight, but cooler weather is expected to return this weekend.

This morning's meter reading is between 14423 and 14424. Yesterday's reading was 14417. My consumption in the last 24 hours has been 6½ kWh. That's nearly 32% lower than the previous 24 hours, but it is more than 44% higher than this date in 2013.