Severe weather issues

I am in New York and was not affected nearly so much as you, but I keep worrying about how people without power will keep cool.  One trick I learned from a science type who lives in SoCal was to put aluminum foil on all windows (while doing cross ventilation, battery operated fans, going to cooling centers, or whatever else works).  It blocks out infrared rays which blackout curtains may absorb.

This has made a big difference for me as I live in a unit with large windows and it is surprisingly difficult to keep my home cool even with AC.

I hope everyone is ok.

Safewrite - what veggies can survive at temperatures that high for several days in a row? I thought the sweet spot for summer veggies is in the low to mid 90's. I couldn't imagine having to water everyday. Hang in there - hopefully it cools down for you and you get some rain soon.

No big storms here this weekend, but yesterday I saw, and it was just a few, some of the largest hailstones I have ever seen at my dad's house, just 10 minutes away from me. I got nothing at my house, barely any rain in my gauge, but the town just north from me, they got clobbered by golf ball sized hail.

On the bright side, I still have not turned on my AC this summer. It's not entirely comfortable, but manageable. All that extra insulation is paying off. And it helps being in a forested area - the trees keep the area cooler than the pavement and concrete of cities.

Hi,

No damage to our home. What little garden I put in this year seems to be O.K. Tomato harvest less than last year, if I can keep the plants alive till this weather breaks, fall tomatoes should be GREAT!

The peppers seem to love the heat. I just put up a few jars of jalapeno Jam! This is the first year that I have gotten Zucchini to grow so I am baking bread and passing the extras around the neighborhood.

When the electric went out Saturday (not a cloud in the sky) i figured it was heat related. So, I made sure everything was closed up tight, cycled the genny just in case and prayed... I lost power for only 3 hours, temp in the house only went up 3 degrees but I became brutally aware just how "unsustainable" this house (type of living) would be in a major disruption.

My prayers go out to those who were not as lucky as I was.

C.

Thanks for the tip. I'm looking to try sweet potatoes out in the summer doldrums here.

I had great success with okra and squash in a very hot Philadelphia summer a few years back. Some of the other crops--especially the ones with andean or central american origins, like peppers, potatoes and tomatoes, have a harder time with the extreme heat. Ones from the mediterranean, like onions, or Indian subcontinent, like eggplant, or ones from Africa, like okra, melons, millett and sorghum, fare far better. Native americans had success with squash, corn, and various hard beans in the desert southwest, where temps are regularly over 100. Where I am in South America now is one of the hottest regions--and many of the same things are grown and do well (except there is no okra). I hate that I can't have a garden this year bc of my travels, but at least I am learning some different ways to hedge against the vagaries of climate! Hope this helps.

Chris

No power or phones. Cell tower down for first two days. It was hot with heat index of 110. Lots of trees down. We have heard there will not be power until next weekend. Thank heaven for our preps. It has been a good opportunity to try them out. I would encourage everyone to try out their preps while there is a possibility to order more equipment or take a trip to the hardware store. It has taken us a bit out of our comfort zone but it has been good to see how the family has reacted. One of the pleasant surprises I have had has been seeing the community coming together. The stress of the situation has really helped foster community.