September 7, 2013

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Yesterday was Friday. During the school year, I spend a lot of time on Fridays in the Richland newsroom, and that was the case yesterday.

One of my fellow faculty advisers half–jokingly told us, after he had returned from running an errand in the middle of the afternoon, that it was hot outside, and I figured the forecasts of highs near 100° turned out to be on the money. But I didn't know that for certain.

All I could anticipate was another high–electricity consumption day when I checked the meter this morning.

This morning's reading is between 11518 and 11519. Yesterday's reading was 11492. Thus, my consumption was 26½ kWh. That is a decrease over the previous 24 hours — but by less than 2%.

It is about 7% lower than my consumption on this day in 2012.

September 6, 2013

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The temperature was in triple digits yesterday, according to NOAA, and I have no reason to doubt it.

I was listening to the radio as I was driving home around 5 p.m., and they reported the temperature was 96°. But I think the radio folks lie.

Anyway ...

This morning's meter reading is 11492. Yesterday&apos[s reading was 11465 so consumption was 27 kWh in the last 24 hours. That's a 10% drop.

And it is more than 18% lower than my consumption on this date last year.

September 5, 2013

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I was monitoring the weather conditions yesterday morning. The NOAA website is my primary source for that kind of thing. I have found its forecasts to be more reliable than any other weather website I have seen, but it only updates temperatures and other conditions (like wind speed, heat index, wind chill, etc.) every hour. Unless you happen to check it within minutes of the latest update, you're likely to be looking at conditions that are not very current.

Anyway, I checked the conditions yesterday shortly before 10 a.m. — which means the conditions were actually from about 9 a.m. At that time, the website showed a temperature around 80°. I checked it again a couple of minutes later when the conditions had been updated, and the temperature had shot up to 89°. I know it didn't happen that rapidly, but, even so, it was a bit startling.

I heard on the radio, around 1 p.m., that the temperature was 96°, nearly the predicted high temperature. It probably exceeded the prediction. Last night, around 9 p.m., the temperature was 94°. Supposedly, the low was going to be 76°. I don't know if it made it.

I was pretty sure when I got up this morning that I wouldn't be getting any good news when I read the meter. And it wasn't good (or, at least, what I would consider good). But neither was it bad, really.

This morning's meter reading is 11465. Yesterday's meter reading was 11435. Consumption was 30 kWh, which is the same as it was yesterday. No change.

Inexplicably, my consumption on this date a year ago was 25 kWh so my usage was up 20% by comparison.

September 4, 2013

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I was on campus most of the day yesterday, teaching my developmental writing class and working in the newsroom so I don't know precisely how hot it was.

I do know it was already hot when I left for school yesterday morning, and it was hot when I drove home late in the afternoon. When I checked my meter this morning, I could only hope for the best.

The revised weather outlook has taken triple–digit readings out of the immediate forecast. Psychologically, that makes a difference. Realistically, not so much.

Today's meter reading is 11435. Yesterday's reading was 11405 so I used 30 kWh in the last 24 hours. That's an increase of about 7%.

And it is a 6% decrease compared to this day in 2012.

September 3, 2013

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A cool front came through the area and brought some light rain Sunday night, and it lingered into the day yesterday.

By mid–afternoon, the temperature was still in the mid–80s (the heat index, however, was near 90°). It probably got into the low or mid–90s at some point, but the forecast for the next several days isn't quite as bad as it was.

We still have some 100s in the forecast, but today and tomorrow have been removed from that list. It will still be hot — 98° or 99°, they say — just not quite as hot.

Anyway, today's meter reading is 11405. Yesterday's reading was 11377. Thus, my consumption was 28 kWh. That is a decrease of more than 12% from yesterday.

And it is more than 24% below my consumption on this day last year.

September 2, 2013

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Forecasts said yesterday's high would be more than 100°. I have no reason to think it didn't. I ran some errands yesterday morning, and the radio reported temperatures in the 90s before 11 a.m.

I can't say precisely how hot it was yesterday, but my electricity consumption stayed in the 30–kWh range. However, it wasn't as high as it was yesterday.

This morning's meter reading is 11377. Yesterday's reading was 11345 so consumption was 32 kWh. That is a drop of about 16%. And it is about 6% lower than this time last year.

September 1, 2013

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Tomorrow is Labor Day, and this is looking like it will be the warmest Labor Day weekend in memory.

It was well over 100° yesterday, even for awhile after the sun went down, and the temperature is expected to be in triple digits again today. Then a modest cool front is supposed to arrive, bringing temperatures that stay in the 90s through the rest of the week.

I was home most of the day, watching football so I knew even before I went out to check my meter that my consumption would be higher than it was the day before. And it was.

This morning's meter reading is 11345. Yesterday's reading was 11307 so consumption was a whopping 38 kWh. That's an increase of nearly 36% over the previous 24 hours.

But it's only 15% higher than last year on this date.