Little bit toasty here

[warshipadmin]

I hope there is some serious backlash to the idiotic advice to switch the utilities off <late edit, by the householder>. The network is still full of electrons/gas/water.

[Nik_SpeakerToCats]

Tangential: US seems to pole-mount 'local' transformers, while UK prefers neat 'block-house' brick buildings.

The pole-mounted kit is inherently more vulnerable to lightning strikes...

FWIW, back in the days of 'B&W' TV when, beyond range of 'rabbit ears' on set, you needed an 'arms-span' of 'H' atop your roof, unplugging down-lead during thunder-storms was 'common' if not routine...

[David Newton]

In the UK it is VERY rare for there to be overhead distribution cables for electricity in urban areas. They are certainly present in the countryside and in villages, but in towns and cities the electricity network is almost uniformly underground.

For some reason that means it doesn't get affected if trees blow over in towns.

[jemhouston]

Buried vs overhead power lines

https://www.taylorelectricutility.com/u ... kes-sense/

https://www.electricaltechnology.org/20 ... stems.html

This keeps coming up every time a hurricane comes to town.

[Johnnie Lyle]

It’s not that serious unless your power company has seriously skimped on maintenance, is a mass murderer, or both (cough, PG&E, cough). At least in the US, local utilities have both the authority and responsibility to trim trees necessary to protect lines (though homeowners are not advised to rely on the utility companies to do so unless they like modern art), and there are serious safety perimeters around long-distance transmission lines to prevent branches or trees from falling over onto the long-distance lines. And yes, while lighting hitting lines or transformers is capable of causing problems, proper grounding of the lines reduces the risk (though having Touchdown Jesus nearby to take the hit and evolve into Terminator Jesus helps). Similarly, voltage surges are possible, but at least in the US, everyone has both power strips with surge suppressors and the infrastructure itself has also evolved to minimize the risk.

So while yes it’s possible for a thunderstorm to be inconvenient, it shouldn’t merit a massive response akin to a big snowstorm. Turning off the electricity due to a storm is very unusual, unless there’s huge infrastructure maintenance problems or the aforesaid power company is a mass murderer.

I think you significantly underestimate the Last Mile problems with maintenance across the US South. The trees grow fast and there's never enough tree trimming dollars for the local 2.4kV/4kV lines. Trimming is about every five years, ranging from three to eight or so. There's also considerable citizen disgruntlement over the process, because of the trimming just around the power lines, thinking that the trees are disfigured, complaining of tree butchers, and not wanting their beautiful trees trimmed.

It's gotten better over the past 15-20 years, but strong thunderstorms always result in some areas with outages. Usually just a matter of a few hours, and generally between 10 and 500 homes at an sport. It's also not trees bringing the lines down that is responsible, it's more the fuses at the transformers blowing. Each one takes a guy on the ground five minutes to change, but there are a lot of them. Speaking about Houston, there are also some parts that rarely have problems and others that get multiple outages a year, and those are served by the same utility company. Lots of trees around local subdivisions look good, but cause problems.

The main high voltage distribution network isn't an issue. Trees are trimmed and cut well back from the big pylons, and kept that way. Almost all of it that I am familiar with is also set up to be driveable, so doesn't have the PG&E problem.

And again, no one turns off their main power for a thunderstorm.

I’m well aware of the issues with last mile service, having lived through my fair share of big thunderstorms, derecho and hurricanes. Spot last mile disruption restored pretty quickly is what I would expect to see. My point isn’t that those things don’t happen. My point is that you’re describing is not something we routinely de-energize the network for. Crews just reset and restore service as needed.

Inconvenient, absolutely.

But de-energizing the network is more about serious infrastructure problems that will make things much worse if lines are hot when power goes down. Otherwise, power companies prefer to maintain service as long as possible.

So if the warning is that people are expected to preemptively shut off power service (and gas service) prior to a thunderstorm, something really weird is going on. Either thunderstorms are very different in the UK, the infrastructure is worse, someone goofed in panic, or it’s something else not mentioned.

[kdahm]

I’m well aware of the issues with last mile service, having lived through my fair share of big thunderstorms, derecho and hurricanes. Spot last mile disruption restored pretty quickly is what I would expect to see. My point isn’t that those things don’t happen. My point is that you’re describing is not something we routinely de-energize the network for. Crews just reset and restore service as needed.

Inconvenient, absolutely.

But de-energizing the network is more about serious infrastructure problems that will make things much worse if lines are hot when power goes down. Otherwise, power companies prefer to maintain service as long as possible.

So if the warning is that people are expected to preemptively shut off power service (and gas service) prior to a thunderstorm, something really weird is going on. Either thunderstorms are very different in the UK, the infrastructure is worse, someone goofed in panic, or it’s something else not mentioned.

I think we generally agree, but the focus drifted. I was responding to:

"Thunderstorms generally don’t cause massive blackouts from lightning strikes if you’re properly grounded, "
"It’s not that serious unless your power company has seriously skimped on maintenance, is a mass murderer, or both (cough, PG&E, cough). At least in the US, local utilities have both the authority and responsibility to trim trees necessary to protect lines (though homeowners are not advised to rely on the utility companies to do so unless they like modern art),"

Which I read as saying that the last mile problems shouldn't occur. I certainly agree that that the high voltage lines are and must be very resilient, unless the utility has a cranial-rectal superposition problem.

On the final point, there was nothing about de-energizing the network. The original bit was advice from the Met Office for the dweller to disconnect the houses from the network as an isolation measure. That's really weird, and unwarranted in almost any situation I can think of.

[warshipadmin]

"The original bit was advice from the Met Office for dweller to disconnect the houses from the network as an isolation measure." that was what raised my ire as well. It sounds as though some smooth brain had a brain fart.

[Johnnie Lyle]

I’m well aware of the issues with last mile service, having lived through my fair share of big thunderstorms, derecho and hurricanes. Spot last mile disruption restored pretty quickly is what I would expect to see. My point isn’t that those things don’t happen. My point is that you’re describing is not something we routinely de-energize the network for. Crews just reset and restore service as needed.

Inconvenient, absolutely.

But de-energizing the network is more about serious infrastructure problems that will make things much worse if lines are hot when power goes down. Otherwise, power companies prefer to maintain service as long as possible.

So if the warning is that people are expected to preemptively shut off power service (and gas service) prior to a thunderstorm, something really weird is going on. Either thunderstorms are very different in the UK, the infrastructure is worse, someone goofed in panic, or it’s something else not mentioned.

I think we generally agree, but the focus drifted. I was responding to:

"Thunderstorms generally don’t cause massive blackouts from lightning strikes if you’re properly grounded, "
"It’s not that serious unless your power company has seriously skimped on maintenance, is a mass murderer, or both (cough, PG&E, cough). At least in the US, local utilities have both the authority and responsibility to trim trees necessary to protect lines (though homeowners are not advised to rely on the utility companies to do so unless they like modern art),"

Yeah, we agree. I wasn’t saying that last mile problems wouldn’t occur (though utilities absolutely should do their best to minimize them), but that they should be an unlucky inconvenience, not widespread catastrophe. Shit happens, but the utility should not be in the position of lots of shit happening everywhere all at once due to infrastructure weather vulnerability.

Unless the utility is not doing its job.

Which I read as saying that the last mile problems shouldn't occur. I certainly agree that that the high voltage lines are and must be very resilient, unless the utility has a cranial-rectal superposition problem.

We call that . . . Pacific Gas and Electric.

Unfortunately for Northern California, PG&E spent at least a decade investing their money into pretty much anything but maintaining their power infrastructure. And it wasn’t until they destroyed several towns and killed something like 100 people that they began rebuilding their infrastructure and turning off vulnerable power lines during atmospheric and weather conditions likely to result in and/or rapidly accelerate a wildfire.

So it’s entirely possible that British power companies were visited by the same good idea fairy that inspired power companies to invest in anything but safety providing electricity.

On the final point, there was nothing about de-energizing the network. The original bit was advice from the Met Office for the dweller to disconnect the houses from the network as an isolation measure. That's really weird, and unwarranted in almost any situation I can think of.

I can think of three:

1. A residence is running on a back-up generator.
2. A residence is running on a battery system like a Tesla Powerwall.
3. All of the above.

In all those cases, you have to disconnect from the grid in order to power your space. Said disconnects should be automatic, or built into your system when you had them installed.

Otherwise, it’s so nutty I just assumed they were talking about deenergizing the grid.

[Craiglxviii]

Huh?

How vulnerable to weather is your power infrastructure? Given that the UK routinely gets lots of nasty winter weather, your infrastructure should be pretty robust against storms bringing down power lines.

Thunderstorms generally don’t cause massive blackouts from lightning strikes if you’re properly grounded, and how would it impact the gas infrastructure? You don’t have permafrost issues, so isn’t that infrastructure underground?

You assume reasonable and responsible government is in place. I see what you did there.

[Craiglxviii]

The problem isn’t that 34- 35 C is hot. Plenty (many, most) Brits going on their summer holidays tend to go to hot & sunny places.

The problem is that 34- 35 C in the UK is also usually really humid and wind-less for days on end, and that tends to be endured in houses designed to maximise heat capture with no air conditioning.

Added to that, even if air conditioning was a thing here (small market penetration), domestic electricity is so expensive as to make usage of it spotty and very heavily time-bound in any case.

In my considered experience, a hot sunny day (like yesterday) is comparable to midsummer in Florida when the wind is coming off the Gulf. It’s THAT sticky and damp.

[Nik_SpeakerToCats]

Dehumidifier currently gleaning two litres / 24 hrs, holding at 50~~60 %.
Former 'feels' much cooler than latter.
FWIW, yesterday, house 'topped out' at 27ºC: Windows open most of night brought down to ~20ºC for brunch...

[Micael]

Possibly relevant:

[Belushi TD]

Tangential: US seems to pole-mount 'local' transformers, while UK prefers neat 'block-house' brick buildings.

The pole-mounted kit is inherently more vulnerable to lightning strikes...

FWIW, back in the days of 'B&W' TV when, beyond range of 'rabbit ears' on set, you needed an 'arms-span' of 'H' atop your roof, unplugging down-lead during thunder-storms was 'common' if not routine...

I'm not certain that's true, Nik....

While a transformer mounted on a pole is up in the air, and you'd think it was more vulnerable, there doesn't seem to be much of that kind of thing happening. The transformers are always mounted below the transmission lines, and unless I'm very wrong, the transmission lines act as lightning rods.

Belushi TD

[kdahm]

Tangential: US seems to pole-mount 'local' transformers, while UK prefers neat 'block-house' brick buildings.

The pole-mounted kit is inherently more vulnerable to lightning strikes...

FWIW, back in the days of 'B&W' TV when, beyond range of 'rabbit ears' on set, you needed an 'arms-span' of 'H' atop your roof, unplugging down-lead during thunder-storms was 'common' if not routine...

I'm not certain that's true, Nik....

While a transformer mounted on a pole is up in the air, and you'd think it was more vulnerable, there doesn't seem to be much of that kind of thing happening. The transformers are always mounted below the transmission lines, and unless I'm very wrong, the transmission lines act as lightning rods.

Belushi TD

It's true. Pole mounted transformers are more subject to lightning damage than ground brick buildings. That doesn't mean that they are very susceptible, just that hanging in the air like that can be an issue. It also means that a transformer can be swapped out in under an hour. It also means that the fuse protecting the transformer is very visible when it's blown, and only takes a couple of minutes to retrieve with a lineman's pole, swap the wire, and replace. Literally under two minutes. The fuse also protects the transformer against any damage from lightning strikes on the wire or poles or trees contacting the wire.

Putting the lines from the distribution center to the house in the air also does a good job of keeping it away from water, inquisitive diggers, and other ground hazards, and makes the lower voltage runs shorter.

Ground brick buildings are an excellent solution where the higher voltage lines are feeding the building, then a lower voltage line is running the last few hundred meters to the residence underground. Lower voltage being below 600 V. It minimizes the amount of aerial clutter, reduces the probability of tree and storm damage, and can be better for crowded urban infrastructure. It also costs more, has more insulation requirements, and is a royal pain when it's time to increase capacity.

Six of one, half a dozen of the other. No one best solution.

[Johnnie Lyle]

Huh?

How vulnerable to weather is your power infrastructure? Given that the UK routinely gets lots of nasty winter weather, your infrastructure should be pretty robust against storms bringing down power lines.

Thunderstorms generally don’t cause massive blackouts from lightning strikes if you’re properly grounded, and how would it impact the gas infrastructure? You don’t have permafrost issues, so isn’t that infrastructure underground?

You assume reasonable and responsible government is in place. I see what you did there.

Oh no. I live in California, so I generally assume government is incompetent and the electorate doesn’t give a damn .

Hence “should” does a lot of heavy lifting.

[Zen9]

Ok report.

Just 10 days ago I had to run the heating as the combination of damp and cold was uncomfortable. Remarking it was disappointing.
But at least things dried out inside.

In 6 days we went up over 10 degrees Celsius. Summer has come in with a bang.

I've dug out the fans and we're already only opening windows on the shady side.

Outside is bearable, as light wind and relatively low humidity allows sweat to evaporate.

The van of course has no AirCon, so has become a punishment box with a window to add sunburn to being cooked.

Now the storms come. Spectacular lighting.
Sadly the wife gets nervous about lightning.

Personally it's sort of cleansing, a release.

Thunor is busy tonight, but a prayer to smite the enemy is out....along with try not to hit anything precious.
Just in case.

[Nightwatch2]

Storms blew through here last night as well. Good solid soaking with a nice light show to go with it.

One of our more humorous local weather guessers called it “Angry Skywater”. The lakes and reservoirs are filling nicely and perhaps the drought has eased.

[warshipadmin]

Nik I'll stick a bucket under our aircon at 1700, I'll see what we get in a day.

[Paul Nuttall]

And the express does it again...though this is exact date rather than the usual exact hour they usually use.

https://www.express.co.uk/news/weather/ ... -rain-bomb

UK weather maps show exact date 358-mile rain bomb will hit Britain - 69 areas affected

The UK will be hit with rain stretching from the North East of England right down to counties like Devon and Cornwall, marking an end to a prolonged spell of hot and dry weather, according to a weather map. The UK was hit with its first heatwave of the year in May, with temperatures soaring higher than 30C in some parts. Rain is set to hit the country next week, according to the latest charts provided by forecaster WXCharts, with a 358-mile sheet seen stretching from Northumberland down to Cornwall. It will come as a relief to many who have been struggling in the intense heat and sunshine of the past week.

Rain will hit 69 counties on Thursday, June 4, reaching 34 millimetres in some areas, it is thought. According to current projections, rain arrives late on Wednesday night and continues throughout Thursday morning, eventually dissipating later on in the day. Wales appears to be the worst hit region, but rain will be widespread across England, hitting some areas of Scotland and Northern Ireland as well.

[Paul Nuttall]

From the daily mail

https://www.dailymail.com/lifestyle/art ... twave.html

Americans living in the UK 'humbled' as they brave British heatwave without air conditioning - fleeing stuffy flats for hotel rooms and buying bags of ice

Americans who are used to handling 35C degree temperatures back in the US have been left 'humbled' by the UK's suffocating heatwave, and are resorting to going to the corner shop just to bury their faces in ice.

Yanks living or visiting across the pond have also been forced to seek refuge in air conditioned hotel rooms, admitting they 'simply can't do it anymore'.

'I'm about to pass out,' @melissasmanual said in a TikTok. 'At least in Florida we have AC.

'I'm sweating everywhere. I'm literally just wearing a swimsuit at home. There's nothing else than I can wear.'

Comparing Britain to the Sahara desert, others also admitted the heat has left them feeling 'like a shirt getting ironed'.

'I am never doubting a Brit again when they tell me that the UK sun hits different,' influencer Red Bus Russ said. 'I feel like I'm in a sauna.'

Elsewhere, Floridian @bojackhorses**t admitted the temperatures were making her feel 'sick' while TikToker Shaye said she couldn't hack the heat in her flat, which reached 31C degrees.

'I haven't slept since it got hot,' she recounted. 'I started to literally go insane.'

In the end, she sought the refuge of a hotel.

And social media creator Stacey in the UK called on more Brits to invest in ACs, adding: 'I'm so hot. There is no air flow... I'm suffering. The fans are not cutting it.'

They join what has been dubbed 'the great American humbling' on social media, wherein US expats who used to mock Brits for not being able to hack temperatures which are perfectly normal back home have realised how debilitating the lack of air con is.

Temperatures in parts of the country hit 34.8°C this week, provisionally setting a new UK daily temperature record for spring and May.

Now, scientists have revealed why heat feels so much more intense in the UK – and say the high humidity and lack of facilities are largely to blame.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Professor Hannah Cloke, Regius Professor of Meteorology and Climate Science University of Reading said: 'The UK is simply not built for sustained heat.'

According to scientists, Britain's intense heat comes down to three key factors – humidity, lack of infrastructure, and climate change.

Firstly, the UK has relatively humid air – especially during heatwaves, which are fed by warm southerly flows over the Atlantic.

Professor Cloke explained: '30°C in the UK can feel surprisingly oppressive because heat is not just about the number on the thermometer, it is about how efficiently your body can cool itself.

'Humidity slows the evaporation of sweat, which is the body's natural air–conditioning system, so a 30°C day can feel much stickier and more exhausting than the same temperature in a dry climate like southern Spain.

'What is unusual right now is less the absolute humidity and more the persistence of the warmth, including overnight.'

He told the Daily Mail: 'In drier climates such as parts of the Middle East or South Asia, even at similar or higher air temperatures, low humidity allows sweat to evaporate more easily, improving natural cooling. '

Unlike the UK, other countries have measures in place to beat the heat, including air conditioning.

Professor Cloke said: 'Our homes are designed like thermal flasks to keep warmth in during winter, not release it during summer.

'Many buildings trap heat overnight, and because air conditioning is still relatively uncommon, there is often little relief indoors.

'In cities, concrete and brick can store heat through the day and re–radiate it at night, creating an urban heat island effect where nights stay uncomfortably warm.

'That is why a British heatwave can feel relentless, especially when temperatures stay high after dark.'

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Dr Laurence Wainwright, a senior lecturer at the University of Oxford, added: 'Less than 5% of UK homes have aircon, and only around 35% of offices.

'The intense heatwave of July 2022 was a sobering reminder of this fact, and during those hot days portable air con units sold like hotcakes. As climate-change continues to cause hotter and longer summers, we may have to address this.'

Worryingly, Professor Cloke says the painful heat could become the norm in Britain, thanks to climate change.

'Unfortunately, this is a glimpse of the future,' she said.

'Climate change is making UK heatwaves more frequent, more intense and longer lasting.

'We are now seeing temperatures in late spring that would once have been exceptional even in mid–summer.

'The atmosphere is effectively being loaded with extra heat energy, raising the ceiling for temperature extremes.

'What once felt extraordinary is steadily becoming the new normal.'

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Ben Clarke, Research Associate in Extreme Weather and Climate Change at the Centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College London, added: 'While hot sunny weather has always happened occasionally and always will, climate change is making it much hotter and more dangerous when it does happen.'

And Dr Wainwright added: 'Scientific modelling predicts that by 2070, summer temperatures in the UK will be on average 5°C hotter than today.

'While perhaps 2070 sounds far away, and 5°C doesn’t sound like much, it is starting already, and will as the years go by have a profound impact on the way that we live our lives.'