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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2009
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NEWS ABOUT: heat

heat stories: 20 news summaries
updated

 'Treacherous' Calif. 
 Blaze Threatens Town 

Official cites 'perfect storm of fuels, weather, and topography'

Aug 30, 09 7:02 PM CDT
(Newser) - A growing California wildfire that has already scorched 35,000 acres and burned three people is bearing down on a small mountain community, the Los Angeles Times reports. Driven toward Acton, Calif., by wind and triple-digit heat, the blaze is "treacherous," said one fire chief. Firefighters plan “... More »

MORE ABOUT:
California • firefighters • heat • evacuation • California wildfires

(Newser) - The English entry at the recent World Sauna Championships in Finland didn’t turn in “Britain’s finest hour,” team member Tom Whipple writes for the Times of London. The premise is simple: whoever lasts longest in a brutally hot sauna wins. The Brits were at a disadvantage—... More »

MORE ABOUT:
steam • competition • heat • burns • Finland • sauna • World Sauna Championships • Tom Whipple

 Holdouts, Converts 
 Swelter Through  
 Recession Without AC 

Unit shipments down as Americans find other ways to keep cool

Jul 23, 09 10:18 AM CDT
(Newser) - This summer, some Americans are more concerned about their wallets than their comfort—so they’re turning off the air conditioning and putting up with the heat, the New York Times reports. Window air conditioner shipments from manufacturers to distributors dropped 39% the first half of the year versus the... More »

MORE ABOUT:
cost cutting • recession • heat • summer • air conditioning • financial crisis

(Newser) - A mistake in the labs of the world's largest chocolate producer inadvertently led researchers to the ultimate in confectionery: a recipe that's not only heat-resistant, but that contains 90% fewer calories than normal chocolate. Food engineers fooling around at Barry Callebaut, which makes products for Nestlé and Cadbury, ended up... More »

MORE ABOUT:
food • nutrition • diet • heat • calories • chocolate • candy • Nestle • chemistry • food science

(Newser) - The American South is the most obese region in the country because of a “perfect storm” of factors, Claire Suddath writes for Time. Mississippi, whose 33% adult obesity rate makes it the fattest state, is also the poorest, with 21% of people living under the poverty line. That... More »

MORE ABOUT:
obesity • heat • Mississippi • poverty • public transportation • excercise • South • Southern United States • physical activity

 Rural Alaskans Fight to Survive 

Harsh winter cut off supplies, forcing soaring prices

Feb 9, 09 12:50 PM CST
(Newser) - With some villagers paying $400 for a week's groceries and $1,500 for a month’s heat, rural Alaskans are literally fighting to survive, CNN reports. Milk can cost $10 a gallon and eggs $22 a dozen, and the long trip by snowmobile to the store means running through $50... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Alaska • severe weather • heat • food prices • rural area • winter

 Wildfires Kill 14 
 in Southeast Australia 

Melbourne sees hottest day on record

Feb 7, 09 7:30 AM CST
(Newser) - Australian wildfires have killed 14 people in the southeast, and police fear dozens more could be dead, the Age reports. Some 100 homes have been destroyed in dozens of fires, the worst in the history of the state of Victoria. Police suspect arson is behind some of the fires, which... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Australia • temperature • heat • wildfires

Warmer Feelings Flow From Cozy Hands: Scientists

Study suggests holding warm objects inspires more generous emotions

Oct 23, 08 4:34 PM CDT
(Newser) - The temperature of whatever you’re holding may affect your mood, HealthDay reports. Two new studies, published in Science, indicate that holding warm objects tends to make people act more generously and see strangers in a kinder light than those holding something cold. “Simply holding a warm or cold... More »

MORE ABOUT:
health • science • heat • relationship • cold

Swimmer Dies During NYC Triathlon

First death in race's 8-year history may be due to cardiac arrest

Jul 21, 08 4:19 AM CDT
(Newser) - An Argentinian man died after experiencing difficulties midway through the swim portion of the New York Triathlon yesterday, the Daily News reports. He was pulled out of the water after fellow swimmers noticed him struggling, and was pronounced dead at a hospital. Initial reports indicate that cardiac arrest was the... More »

MORE ABOUT:
New York City • swimming • death • heat • cardiac arrest • triathlon

 Keeping Cool Gets Thriftier 

Facing big bills, Americans cut back on A/C, look for other heat-beating solutions

Jul 15, 08 11:22 AM CDT
(Newser) - As fuel costs, and eco-guilt, creep upward, Americans are leaving the thermostat high or kicking air conditioning altogether this summer, the Wall Street Journal reports. Some two-thirds of families are reducing air-conditioning use, a poll finds, as power plants raise prices as much 30% to keep up with natural-gas hikes.... More »

MORE ABOUT:
environment • heat • green energy • summer • green technology • air conditioning

 California Steaming:
 Heat Wave Goes On 

Triple-digit temperatures blamed for death of 77-year-old

Jun 20, 08 9:30 AM CDT
(Newser) - Southern California is sweltering in a record-breaking heat wave that has killed at least one person, the Los Angeles Times reports. The 77-year-old woman died after wandering out of her car in 116-degree heat, and her husband is in critical condition. Forecasters warn the exceptionally high heat will continue through... More »

MORE ABOUT:
California • Los Angeles • San Bernadino • heat • heat wave • National Weather Service

Triple-Digit Temps Zap Power for 23,000 in SoCal

Electric companies scramble as 23,000 homes lose power

Sep 3, 07 3:05 PM CDT
(Newser) - Continued triple-digit temperatures across Southern California fried transformers as everyone turned on the AC, knocking out power across the region. The LA Times reports  21,000 homes were still waiting for power last night, and Southern California Edison was scrambling to keep up. "We need is a break in... More »

MORE ABOUT:
California • Southern California • temperature • heat • heat wave • power outage

Record Heat Fries Phoenix

Nearly a month’s
worth of temps
topping 110

Aug 30, 07 3:44 PM CDT
(Newser) - Phoenix citizens can’t blunt this hot spell with claims of “dry heat”: The city’s just marked its 29th day in a year of 110-degree temperatures. Urbanization and global warming are likely factors in the chart-topping season, though Phoenicians have been spared a highest-ever figure, the AP reports—... More »

MORE ABOUT:
climate change • weather • global warming • Arizona • temperature • Phoenix • heat • urbanization

Keep Your
Hot Dog Happy
and Healthy

Fluffy and Fido need help to stay cool when the mercury climbs

Aug 26, 07 8:36 AM CDT
(Newser) - They never complain, so it's easy to forget that the smallest members of the family may be suffering in the hot weather, too. Make sure your dog stays healthy with these tips from MSNBC:
  1. Coat ears and noses (or the whole body of a light-colored short-hair) with sunscreen.
... More »

MORE ABOUT:
pets • list • fur • heat • summer • dog • animal

Tips for Beating the Heat

Ten ways to keep the sun from getting you down

Aug 22, 07 6:23 PM CDT
(Newser) - Everyone needs a little vitamin D, but sunburn (or, worse, heatstroke) is no fun. Protect yourself and your family with these tips from MSNBC:
  1. Drink up! Plan on 1 gallon of water per person per day.
  2. Smear on the sunblock and slap on a hat.
  3. Wear breathable
... More »

MORE ABOUT:
health • list • temperature • heat • sun • safety • summer • hydration • sunburn • heatstroke

Hot Mommas:
Squirrels Use Heat to Scare off Snakes

Rattlers steer clear
of hot pieces of tail

Aug 14, 07 4:07 PM CDT
(Newser) - Squirrels aren't squirreling out of their ongoing battle with snakes, but they may be turning tail. California ground squirrels are able to intimidate rattlesnakes, researchers have found, by heating their tails 3 degrees; the rattlers perceive infrared waves, and back off. Even more surprising, the squirrels are savvy enough not... More »

MORE ABOUT:
heat • snake • robots • infrared • squirrel • rattlesnake • tail

Heat Wave Bakes Southeast 

Region reaches for
the iced tea as temps shatter records

Aug 10, 07 12:42 PM CDT
(Newser) - A heat wave brought record high temperatures to much of the Southeast yesterday, with highs of over 100 degrees recorded in Georgia, the Carolinas, and Kentucky. Excessive heat warnings ruled the day, prompting the National Weather Service to urge people to stay inside in air-conditioning and drink plenty of fluids,... More »

MORE ABOUT:
weather • Atlanta • South Carolina • Kentucky • Georgia • Louisville • North Carolina • temperature • heat • heat wave • summer

Heat Wave Sizzles US

Temperatures endanger many across the country, keeping even the hardiest indoors

Aug 7, 07 5:09 PM CDT
(Newser) - Heat, not hurricanes, is generally the biggest weather-related cause of death in the US, and with a heat wave is sweeping over much of the country, health experts are urging people to stay indoors and keep cool. It's so hot in St. Louis that the Rams have temporarily moved their... More »

MORE ABOUT:
health • Arkansas • temperature • St. Louis • heat • heat wave • summer • Delaware Park

Heatwaves Double Over 100 Years

Number of 'extremely hot days' have tripled, Euro study shows

Aug 4, 07 4:42 PM CDT
(Newser) - The duration of heatwaves in Western Europe has doubled and the frequency of extremely hot days has nearly tripled since 1880, according to a study released yesterday. Periods of sweltering weather last an average of 3 days now compared to 1.5  in 1880, a shift that forebodes a higher... More »

MORE ABOUT:
climate change • weather • Spain • global warming • study • heat • heatwave • Finland • scientists • radiation • sunlight • Western Europe

Record Highs Scorch West

Sizzling towns open swelter shelters for elderly as heat goes on

Jul 6, 07 5:51 AM CDT
(Newser) - A searing heat wave is likely to continue barbecuing the western U.S. today after record temperatures soared to 127 in Death Valley, 125 in nearby Baker and 116 in Phoenix yesterday. Las Vegas sizzled at 116 degrees with humidity in the single digits, and even northeastern Oregon cracked 107... More »

MORE ABOUT:
weather • California • elderly • West • Arizona • Las Vegas • physician • United States • temperature • heat • heat wave • sun • hot • humidity • Idaho • rain

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