April 30, 2014

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It was much cooler yesterday. The temperature stayed in the 70s during the day and was expected to drop into the upper 40s last night.

I don't know if it got quite that cool, but it was 52° when I got up this morning.

The forecasters say it will be cooler still today. The high is supposed to be in the mid–60s; the low is supposed to be in the mid–40s. We shall see.

This morning's meter reading is 15917. Yesterday's reading was 15911 so my consumption in the last 24 hours was 6 kWh. That's a drop of more than 7% compared to the previous 24 hours, and it is 25% lower than my consumption on this date in 2013.

April 29, 2014

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It wasn't as warm here yesterday as it was the day before, and the forecasts call for much cooler conditions over the next few days.

The temperature remained in the 80s yesterday — but not as long and it never got close to 90°. In fact, the highest temperature of which I am aware yesterday was 83°.

The temperature was supposed to fall into the 50s last night, but it was 64° when I got up this morning. Forecasters say it will definitely be in the 50s tonight. We'll see.

This morning's meter reading is 15911. Yesterday's reading was between 15904 and 15905. My consumption in the last 24 hours went down more than 13% compared to my usage in the previous 24 hours, and it is nearly 19% lower than my consumption on this date in 2013.

April 28, 2014

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Yesterday was probably the warmest day of 2014 — so far. I have no doubt it will be warmer.

But yesterday's temperature reached 90°. That was in the original forecast, then it was downgraded to mid– to upper 80s. That was the forecast yesterday morning. But it sailed to 90° territory by 4 p.m.

Last night's low was expected to be 59°, but I don't think it got that cold. The temperature was in the 70s when I got up this morning.

This morning's meter reading is between 15904 and 15905. Yesterday's reading was 15897. My consumption in the last 24 hours was 7½ kWh. That is nearly 17% lower than the previous 24 hours, but it is 25% higher than my consumption on this date a year ago.

This Month's Utilities

Later this week, I will be paying my rent/utility bill, which is now mailed to us as an all–in–one thing.

As I have mentioned here before, the arrangement now is that we are allocated our share of the complex's monthly usage, based on our unit's square footage.

The utility portion of my bill is about 12% lower than it was the previous month, but my actual consumption was 20% lower in March than it was in February.

Currently, my consumption for April is nearly two–thirds lower than it was in March.

April 27, 2014

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It was a warm and windy day yesterday, although I don't it got as warm as predicted.

Forecasters said the temperature would be around 87°, but, based on my observations, I think the temperature got to 84° at best.

Last night's low was predicted to be around 70°. I don't think it got that low. The temperature was 74° when I got up this morning.

This morning's meter reading is 15897. Yesterday's reading was 15888 so my consumption in the last 24 hours has been 9 kWh. That is 50% higher than my consumption in the previous 24 hours, and it is 20% higher than my consumption on this date last year.

April 26, 2014

I was in the campus newsroom all afternoon so I don't know how warm it was yesterday. I only know the temperature was 83° when I left around 7 p.m.

Last night's low was expected to be 61°. Maybe it got that low. It was 64° when I got up this morning.

The forecasters now say today's high will be 87°. Rain is a possibility tonight and tomorrow so I expected to be increasingly humid (and the humidity is already 73% as I write this) conditions. They say tonight's low will be 69° — but they have taken the 90° prediction out of the forecast for Sunday. They now say Sunday will be 85° and Monday's high will be 85°, then it will dip into the 70s for the remainder of the week.

This morning's meter reading is 15888. Yesterday's reading was 15882. That means my consumption in the last 24 hours was 6 kWh. That is an increase of about 9% compared to both the previous 24 hours and this date in 2013.

April 25, 2014

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Yesterday wasn't quite as warm as the day before. It was 83° last time I checked, which is about 3° or 4° lower than Wednesday.

Last night's low was expected to be cooler as well — between 56° and 61° is what I heard. And it was cooler last night. The temperature was 60° when I got up.

Today's high is predicted to be around 86°. The weekend will be warmer, they say. Saturday's high is supposed to be 88°. Sunday is supposed to be the first 90°& day of the year.

This morning's meter reading is 15882. Yesterday's reading was between 15876 and 15877. Thus, my consumption was 5½ kWh. That's a drop of more than 31% in the last 24 hours, and it is the same as my usage on this day in 2013.

In the last 38 days, my consumption has been in single digits for all but one of those days. That might continue today, maybe tomorrow, but I expect my daily consumption to be back in double digits by Sunday if that 90° forecast is accurate. However, the forecast suggests we'll be dropping off early next week.

Perhaps the end of April will see a return to single–digit consumption days.

April 24, 2014

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The forecast called for a high yesterday of 87°. I don't know if it got quite that warm, but I know the temperature was 85° around 6 p.m.

The low was only supposed to be 66° or 67°. It was 68° when I got up this morning.

Today should be a little milder, according to the forecasters, who are calling for a high of 81° and a low of 59° tonight.

This morning's meter reading is between 15876 and 15877. Yesterday's reading was between 15868 and 15869. My consumption was 8 kWh, which is slightly less than 6% lower than my consumption 24 hours ago, but it is nearly double my consumption of a year ago.

April 23, 2014

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Yesterday was warm — and not quite as humid as it was the day before.

The temperature was as warm as 83°, I know. Last night's low was expected to be around 61°. Itwas 62° when I got up today.

The latest forecast says it will be 87° today, with a nighttime low of 67°.

This morning's meter reading is between 15868 and 15869. Yesterday's reading was 15860. That means consumption in the last 24 hours was 8½ kWh, which is 21% higher than yesterday. It is also 21% higher than my usage on this day in 2013.

April 22, 2014

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It was sunny (most of the day) and warm yesterday. The high temperature was around 80°.

Last night's low was expected to be around 61°. It was 62° when I got up this morning.

That is about what we are told we can expect for the next seven days — highs in the 80s, lows in the 60s. There's a slight chance of rain later in the week.

This morning's meter reading is 15860. Yesterday's reading was 15853 so my consumption in the last 24 hours was 7 kWh. That is precisely the same as my usage in the previous 24 hours and not quite 17% higher than my consumption on this date in 2013.

April 21, 2014

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Yesterday was pretty mild.

It started as a sunny day, but, by afternoon, it was overcast. I don't know what the high temperature was, but my best guess is that it was in the upper 70s.

The low was expected to be in the mid–60s last night. It probably got a little cooler than that. The temperature when I got up this morning was 63°.

This morning's meter reading is 15853. Yesterday's reading was 15846 so my consumption in the last 24 hours was 7 kWh. That is about 22% lower than the previous 24 hours, and it isn't quite 8% higher than this date in 2013.

April 20, 2014

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The mild weather continued yesterday.

The high during the day was in the upper 70s, as predicted. I don't know what the low turned out to be — I think the forecast called for a low in the upper 50s, maybe lower 60s — but I do know that the temperature was 65° when I got up this morning.

The current forecast talks about daytime highs in the low 80s this week, and there is a chance of rain, especially early in the week.

This morning's meter reading is 15846. Yesterday's reading was 15837 so my consumption in the last 24 hours has been 9 kWh. That's about 38% higher than my consumption in the previous 24 hours, and it is exactly double my consumption on this date a year ago.

April 19, 2014

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The forecast for yesterday (and continuing through this weekend) is for highs in the upper 70s. The 80s are now expected to arrive around Tuesday.

I don't know what yesterday's high was, but I know it was 77° when I checked on conditions around 5 p.m.

Last night's low was expected to be 56°. It was 58° when I got up this morning.

Today's meter reading is 15837. Yesterday's reading was between 15830 and 15831. Thus, my consumption was 6½ kWh. That's an increase of more than 44% compared to the previous 24 hours, and it is more than 62% higher than my usage on this date in 2013.

April 18, 2014

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I'm not sure what yesterday's high temperature was, but it probably came close to the forecast of upper 60s.

Last night's low was probably pretty close to what was predicted as well. I think the forecast called for a low of 57°, and it was probably in the upper 50s or low 60s when I got up this morning.

This morning's meter reading is between 15830 and 15831. Yesterday's reading was 15826, which means my consumption in the last 24 hours was a remarkable 4½ kWh, which means my consumption went down more than 18%, and it is nearly 68% lower than my consumption on this date in 2013.

April 17, 2014

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It may have been a few degrees cooler yesterday than it was the day before.

I think the temperature was in the upper 60s yesterday. More of the same is expected today, then the forecast calls for 70s Friday and Saturday, followed by 80s into next week.

Last night's low was expected to be 50°. It probably got there. The temperature was 51° when I got up.

The next couple of nights should be in the 50s, then the forecast calls for 60s.

This morning's meter reading is 15826. Yesterday's reading was between 15820 and 15821 so my consumption was 5½ kWh. That's 35% lower than my consumption in the previous 24 hours, and it is 42% lower than my consumption on this date in 2013.

I did nothing different in the last 24 hours. I didn't adjust my thermostat (the heat is already set as low as it will go and, in recent weeks, has only come on when the temperature has dropped to 40° or lower).

I'm thoroughly bewildered.

April 16, 2014

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The temperature was in the 60s yesterday; today it is supposed to reach 70°.

It was warmer last night than it has been. It was 46° when I got up, and I doubt it got much cooler than that. The lows in the next several nights are not supposed to be below 50°.

This morning's meter reading is a 'tweener — between 15820 and 15821. Yesterday's reading was 15812. My consumption in the last 24 hours was 8½ kWh, precisely the same as my usage in the previous 24 hours, and it is nearly 23% lower than this date last year.

April 15, 2014

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As expected, the temperature dropped into the 30s last night. Considering where we are in the calendar, I suspect it may be the last sub–40° night around here for awhile.

Yesterday never got out of the 50s, but today's high is predicted to be 63°. The gradual warming trend is expected to continue through the weekend, with 70s likely (possibly even reaching 80°).

The wind seems to have dropped as well.

This morning's meter reading is 15812. Yesterday's reading was between 15803 and 15804 so my consumption was 8½ kWh. That's a modest increase — about 6% — compared to the previous 24 hours — and it is nearly 6% lower than my consumption a year ago.

April 14, 2014

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As the forecasters anticipated, the temperature dropped considerably overnight.

Yesterday's high was a little lower than it has been, probably because of the clouds and the rain that came into the area, but the temperature didn't really drop appreciably until sometime during the night.

Yesterday's high was probably in the upper 70s — not quite 80° — but it was 46° when I got up this morning.

Cooler temperatures are in the immediate forecast. Today's high is not expected to be above the mid–50s, and the rest of the week will be only marginally better.

Today's meter reading is between 15803 and 15804. Yesterday's reading was between 15795 and 15796. My usage in the last 24 hours was 8 kWh. That is an increase of about 23% compared to the previous 24 hours, and it is precisely the same consumption level as the one I had on this date last year.

April 13, 2014

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Yesterday was another warm and breezy day here in north Texas. The temperature was in the low 80s, and the wind was whipping around at about 30 mph (on average).

The low was expected to remain in the 60s, as it has the last few nights, and that forecast came true. It was 68° when I got up this morning.

Cooler temperatures are expected today (79°) with a 50% chance of rain. That probability of precipitation is supposed to stay with us tonight, but it will be much cooler (52°). In fact, the forecast calls for highs in the 60s this week, rising into the 70s by next weekend.

But the 80–degree days are out of the seven–day forecast. I believe that means my single–digit consumption streak may well continue for a few more days — Monday and Tuesday nights are expected to be chilly.

This morning's meter reading is between 15795 and 15796. Yesterday's reading was 15789 so my consumption was roughly 6½ kWh. It went down nearly 19% compared to the previous 24 hours, and my consumption is about 7% lower than it was on this date last year.

April 12, 2014

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Yesterday, the temperature was in the 80s — I don't know just how warm it was, but I know it was around 82° at 6 p.m.

Last night's low was expected to be in the mid–60s. I don't know if it got quite that cool. The temperature was 67° when I got up this morning.

This morning's meter reading is 15789. Yesterday's reading was 15781. Thus, my consumption in the last 24 hours has been 8 kWh.

That is 60% higher than my consumption in the previous 24 hours and on this date in 2013.

April 11, 2014

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The temperature was in the mid–80s yesterday, and it was expected to be in the low 60s last night. It was 63° when I got up this morning.

More of the same is expected over the next couple of days, then a cool front is supposed to bring temperatures down a bit on Sunday. Currently, there is a 40% chance of rain on Sunday as well.

This morning's meter reading is 15781. Yesterday's reading was 15776 so my consumption in the last 24 hours was 5 kWh. That is more than 37% lower than my consumption in the previous 24 hours, and it is about 23% lower than this date last year.

April 10, 2014

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The weather continues to get warmer.

Yesterday's high was in the upper 70s, possibly as high as 80°. Today's high is expected to be 85°.

The low was supposed to be in the upper 50s, but it was 60° when I got up. Inexplicably, my usage went up, even though I don't think the heat ever came on in the last 24 hours.

This morning's meter reading is 15776. Yesterday's reading was 15768 so my consumption was 8 kWh. That's 60% higher than my consumption in the previous 24 hours, but it is an increase of less than 7% compared to this date in 2013.

April 9, 2014

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The gradual warming trend seems to have been in effect yesterday. I heard it was supposed to be in the 70s by the afternoon, and apparently it was.

Last night's low was expected to drop into the upper 40s, and, once again, that seems to have been correct. The temperature was 47° when I got up.

Today's high is expected to be in the upper 70s, and tonight's low is expected to be in the upper 50s.

This morning's meter reading is 15768. Yesterday's reading was 15763. That means my consumption in the last 24 hours was 5 kWh — or one–third of my consumption in the previous 24 hours and nearly 38% lower than my consumption on this date in 2013.

April 8, 2014

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The temperature almost got into the 70s yesterday, and it is expected to reach 70° as the gradual warming trend continues today.

Last night's low was supposed to drop into the 40s, but I don't think it got that cold. It was 51° when I got up this morning.

I think I have a new neighbor downstairs, which may explain, in part, why my electricity consumption went down. After all, hot air rises.

This morning's meter reading is 15763. Yesterday's reading was between 15755 and 15756. Thus, my consumption in the last 24 hours was 7½ kWh. That is 44% lower than my consumption in the previous 24 hours, but it is about 7% higher than my consumption on this date in 2013.

April 7, 2014

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I really doubt that the temperature got into the mid–50s yesterday. At its warmest, it was probably 52°, and the wind chill was probably in the upper 40s.

On top of that, it was rainy and overcast. In general, a pretty gloomy day. Today is supposed to be better — still cloudy but in the 60s.

Last night's low was expected to be 49°. They might have gotten that one on the money. That was the temperature when I got up today.

This morning's meter reading is between 15755 and 15756. Yesterday's reading was 15742 so my consumption in the last 24 hours was 13½ kWh. That is the first time in about three weeks that my consumption has been in double digits.

It is also about 80% higher than my consumption in the previous 24 hours, and it is nearly double my usage on this date last year.

April 6, 2014

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The high temperature yesterday was supposed to be in the low 60s, but it never got quite that warm. It remained in the 50s for most of the daylight hours.

The low was expected to be right around 50°, but it was actually a little cooler than that. It was 48° when I got up this morning.

It isn't supposed to get much warmer today, and there is a 100% chance of rain, according to the forecast. The rain should taper off tonight and tomorrow.

I know the photo is hard to read today, but, trust me, it's the best I was able to do, given the drizzly conditions we have.

This morning's meter reading is 15742. Yesterday's reading was between 15734 and 15735. Thus, my consumption in the last 24 hours was 7½ kWh. That means consumption went up more than 36% compared to the previous 24 hours, but it is only about 7% higher than this date in 2013.

April 5, 2014

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The forecast called for a high yesterday in the upper 60s. I don't know if it got quite that warm — I was in the newsroom all afternoon — but I do know the temperature was around 65° at 7 p.m.

The low was expected to be 47°. I'm not sure it got quite that cool, either. It got cool, all right, but the temperature was 52° when I got up this morning.

The outlook for the next week is roughly the same — 60s during the day, low 50s or upper 40s at night — but it sounds like a warming trend is in store later in the week. Tomorrow looks like the only rainy day, with a 90% chance of precipitation.

This morning's meter reading is between 15734 and 15735. Yesterday's reading was 15729. That means consumption in the last 24 hours was 5½ kWh. That's 10% more than my consumption in the previous 24 hours, but it is nearly 48% lower than my consumption on this date last year.

April 4, 2014

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Yesterday was a warm, muggy day. I was inside most of the afternoon, but I know the temperature was 80° around 8 p.m. I figure it must have been a degree or two warmer in the middle of the afternoon.

A cold front was expected to come through the area last night, following a rainy spell that brought tornado watches to the area. Anyway, the low last night was expected to be 49°, some 20–25 degrees lower than what we've been having lately. It was actually 48° when I got up.

This morning's meter reading is 15729. Yesterday's reading was 15724. In the last 24 hours, my consumption has been 5 kWh. That is nearly 38% lower than my consumption in the previous 24 hours, and it is 33% lower than my consumption on this date in 2013.

April 3, 2014

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Yesterday was another warm day — in the low 80s — and more of the same is expected today. The weekend is expected to be cooler.

Anyway, it was 81° shortly before 5 yesterday afternoon.

Last night's low was expected to be mild with a forecast low of 70°, but I don't think it got quite that cool. The temperature was 75° when I got up this morning.

This morning's meter reading is 15724. Yesterday's reading was 15716. Consumption in the last 24 hours was 8 kWh. That is an increase of nearly 7% compared to the previous 24 hours, and it is about 14% higher than my consumption on this date last year.

April 2, 2014

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Yesterday's high was supposed to reach 82° — and that is precisely what the temperature was by mid–afternoon.

The low was expected to be in the 60s — 67° by the latest forecast. I doubt it got that low, though. It was 71° when I got up this morning.

This morning's meter reading is 15716. Yesterday's reading was between 15708 and 15709. That means consumption in the last 24 hours was 7½ kWh. That is 36% higher than the previous 24 hours, and it is slightly more than 7% higher than this date in 2013.

April 1, 2014

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The forecast high for yesterday was 81°. If it didn't reach that, it wasn't for lack of trying. The temperature was 80° when I checked on conditions around 5 p.m.

Last night's low was supposed to be a mild 61°. It was 66°.

This morning's meter reading is between 15708 and 15709. Yesterday's reading was 15703. In the last 24 hours, I have used 5½ kWh; that's about 8% lower than my consumption in the previous 24 hours, and it is more than 21% lower than my consumption on this day last year.