Scratch the 97 listed above and make that 99 for Wednesday’s official, record-breaking high. The land shrivels under the brunt of our flaring star over the trackless wastelands of Nevada. Extreme heat for the next five days. It is now 12:30 a.m. and the outside temperature has dropped to 80 degrees; humidity low at 29, mercifully.
During all this, the old Virginia Street Bridge, the one famous for divorced women throwing their wedding rings off of for good luck, is being demolished. Watch as the last portion of the 1905 bridge falls. Even better, check out the bridge’s official website, where you can zoom in and out on the area and watch the progress on the Construction Cam link…
Meanwhile, Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the U.S., has hit a record low. Very disturbing news as people who live in Arizona and the Las Vegas area of Southern Nevada depend on that reservoir for drinking water…
White Paws
At 1:00 a.m. my living cubicle is still quite hot inside from the day, making for a miserable night of rest. My skin feels clammy with perspiration. My buzzed scalp feels damp as well. I’m using a clean white wash cloth chilled with cold water and doused with Witch Hazel skin astringent to wipe off the perspiration and soothe my skin. Antiperspirant has miserably failed — time for a shower with Safeguard antibacterial soap to cure the funk of a scorching hot day. It’s all quite mucky and uncomfortable, but hey, it’s Summer and I am living in a desert region. I observe cats sprawled out on tile floor, but they seek refuge outside on the porch in these early morning hours before dawn when the temps are pleasant.
10 lb. Block Ice goes in front of the fan at night.
Inside fans circulate the air, some comfort but not much, better than nothing. AC unit only used for emergencies. Everyone in Reno lives for their 10-pound BLOCK ICE to be delivered at sunset, which they put before their fan so they can get some sleep.
Temps in Northern Nevada normally should be in the 80s during the day at this time of year, but a high pressure system over the region (caused by El Nino) is deflecting cool temps and cloud cover. Thursday and on to be triple digits. A growing forest fire near Lake Tahoe burns out of control.
Updates to follow in the morning hours when the temperature drops down. Summer arrived here in the High Desert with a bang. Ciao
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