THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, August 4, 1995 TAG: 9508040454
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE STONE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 70 lines
Welcome to Day 24.
The mercury is expected to again make its record trek, rising past 90 this afternoon as it has on 23 consecutive days. Another week, and Hampton Roads will have weathered a month of such days.
There had been hopes that this weekend would see a slight break. But forecasters say it looks like temperatures will continue to push the margin, albeit right on the border. If so, that would further extend the longest heat wave since continuous weather observations began locally in 1877. The old record was 15 days.
While that may make for interesting trivia, the numbers the heat is generating on local electric bills aren't funny at all to the folks who pay them. And as long as the heat continues, people will continue to rely on their air conditioning.
For the fourth time in three weeks, Virginia Power recorded a summer record level of demand for electricity. The record was set between 4 and 5 p.m. Wednesday when the utility pumped out 14,003 megawatts. One megawatt is enough power to supply about 250 homes for an hour.
Earlier records were set on July 24, 17 and 15. The all-time record was set Jan. 19, 1994, during intense cold weather when people used 14,877 megawatts.
A Virginia Power spokesman said the utility has had no problems in meeting the high demand.
``Our nuclear generators are working superbly, and the coal units are operating at high efficiency levels,'' said Larry W. Ellis, a utility senior vice president. In fact, Virginia Power has had electricity to sell.
``We have been able to help other utilities to the north and south of our service area meet their record demands by selling them some excess power,'' Ellis said. ``We will certainly have no problem meeting the demands of our customers.''
And he expects demand to remain high as Richmond and Hampton Roads sweat through record-long heat waves.
Meteorologists see nothing on the horizon to bring an end to the heat wave before this weekend. Not even Hurricane Erin offers any hopes. Computer models used to forecast the future track of hurricanes agree on little for this storm's future. But they are unanimous on one point: It ain't comin' this way.
As of Thursday afternoon, after Erin came ashore at Pensacola, the outlook called for the weakening storm's remnants to either steer west toward Texas or north toward Chicago. And it's expected to be a big rainmaker, which would be welcome locally, where only 19.65 inches of rain have fallen all year, 7.5 inches below normal.
A strong high-pressure system centered near Bermuda continues to dominate weather in the Southeast, and meteorologists don't believe Erin will punch through it.
The Hampton Roads and vicinity forecast calls for today to be hazy, hot and humid with highs in the mid-90s.
Saturday is expected to be hazy, hot and humid, with a high in the low or mid-90s and a low between 70 and 75.
Sunday should be partly cloudy, hot and humid with a chance of showers and thunderstorms. The high will be in the low 90s with the overnight low between 70 and 75.
Next week opens with the first hint that the mercury may drop enough to bring the heat wave to an end - or at least a pause. The extended forecast calls for Monday to be partly cloudy with a chance of showers and thunderstorms and a high from 85 to 90. The overnight low should be from 65 to 70. by CNB