THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, July 26, 1995 TAG: 9507260426
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LARRY W. BROWN
LENGTH: Medium: 78 lines
Uncross your fingers: It's not getting any cooler. Forecasters say the best we can do right now is grin, sweat and bear it.
The mercury reached a Tuesday afternoon high of 94 degrees, a bit cooler than Monday's record-breaking 99. Tuesday's high was three degrees short of a record, but according to the National Weather Service, the heat index - a combination of heat and humidity - made it feel like 106.
Today there will be more of the same. Hampton Roads is expected to tie the record of 15 days of 90-plus temperatures. The old record, set in 1980, will likely be broken Thursday.
``The streak is still alive,'' said Mark Deutschendorf , a meteorologist for the weather service in Norfolk.
The forecast for the rest of the week sounds like a broken record:
Partly sunny and hot today with a chance of afternoon thunderstorms. Temperatures will reach into the lower 90s.
Humidity will be high for the rest of the week.
The only difference might be in the less hazy skies, Deutschendorf said, because of easterly winds.
But while we broil, some businesses are booming.
Walter Atkins, who works at the Auto Village radiator repair shop in Virginia Beach, said he barely has time to talk because of incoming orders to fix cooling systems.
``It's out of control,'' Atkins said. ``We've got more cars running hot than you can shake a stick at.''
He said the business is getting up to 10 overheated cars a day.
Mechanics at Tune Up Plus in Norfolk said air conditioner service has been half of their business this week.
Four people who needed freon charges were waiting when the shop opened at 8 a.m.
Joe Redden, a sales manager for Cassco Ice & Cold Storage, said,``We are busy busy busy. Sales are very, very brisk.''
Grocery and convenience stores that normally require twice-a-week ice delivery are getting ice twice a day, Redden said. Demand has been high since July 4.
``Customers love us now,'' he said.
``They really appreciate what the ice does for them. Nobody realizes the need of ice until the need arises.''
The Naval Medical Center in Portsmouth reported a slight increase in heat-related illnesses, mostly nausea, exhaustion and abdominal and muscle cramps.
Capt. Michael Gonzalez, head of the emergency medicine department at the naval hospital, warned members of the military to ``keep an eye out for black-flag conditions. When the black flag is out, that means the weather conditions are such that strenuous physical activity or training is dangerous, and should be avoided.''
Meanwhile, Virginia Power reported a new high for energy demand was set Monday, the third record in two weeks. Customers drew 13,923 megawatts from Virginia Power lines between 2 and 3 p.m. Monday, exceeding a previous high of 13,548 megawatts set July 17.
One megawatt is 1 million watts, enough electricity to power 250 homes, or light 10,000 100-watt bulbs.
``It's possible to get a new record any day this week,'' spokesman Bill Byrd said. Byrd said the utility has adequate resources to cover heat waves.
``Just like they have snow in winter in Minneapolis, it's going to be hot in Virginia in summer,'' Byrd said.
``What we're seeing is hot, but we've seen it before.'' MEMO: Staff writer Mara Stanley contributed to this report.
ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MARTIN SMITH-RODDEN/
THE HEAT IS ON
Norfolk lifeguard Nelson Camilo takes his equipment off the beach at
Ocean View Park late Monday afternoon. Although high temperatures
are typical in the summer, the current heat wave is expected to
break records by Thursday.
by CNB