Storm Impacting the Northwest U.S.; Fire Weather Conditions in Southern California; Severe Weather in the South

A Pacific storm is bringing areas of low elevation rain, moderate to heavy mountain snow, and high winds to the Northwest. Strong Santa Ana winds and very dry conditions are producing elevated to critical fire weather conditions in southern California. Isolated strong to severe thunderstorms are possible through early Wednesday morning across parts of northeast Texas into western Tennessee. Read More >

...HOW QUICK CAN TEMPERATURES CLIMB INSIDE A VEHICLE?...

THE DANGERS OF HEAT SHOULD NOT BE UNDERESTIMATED. ONE OF THE MOST
DANGEROUS THINGS YOU CAN DO IS LEAVE A CHILD OR A PET INSIDE A
PARKED VEHICLE WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER TURNED OFF.

TO DETERMINE HOW FAST TEMPERATURES CAN CLIMB...THE LA CROSSE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONDUCTED AN EXPERIMENT IN 2006 WITH A
PARKED CAR IN OUR PARKING LOT. A CAR WITH A DARK COLOR AND UNTINTED
WINDOWS WAS PARKED FACING SOUTH WITH A SUNNY SKY. THE AIR
CONDITIONER RAN UNTIL THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR REACHED 82 DEGREES AND
REMAINED STEADY. THEN A DIGITAL THERMOMETER WAS PUT IN THE REAR
SEAT. THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS TURNED OFF AND TEMPERATURE READINGS
WERE TAKEN EVERY 10 MINUTES.

HERE ARE THE RESULTS OF WHAT WE OBSERVED OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS...

TIME          INTERIOR TEMPERATURE          AMBIENT TEMPERATURE
CDT            DEGREES FAHRENHEIT           DEGREES FAHRENHEIT

1120 AM              83                           91
1130 AM              87                           92
1140 AM              93                           92
1150 AM             100                           92
1200 NOON           104                           93
1210 PM             107                           93
1220 PM             110                           93
1230 PM             113                           94
1240 PM             115                           94
1250 PM             118                           94
100 PM              120                           94
110 PM              122                           95
120 PM              123                           95
130 PM              124                           95

THE WINDOWS WERE OPENED AFTER 130 PM AND THE TEMPERATURE DROPPED
TO 112 WITH A BREEZY SOUTH WIND.

EVEN THOUGH TEMPERATURES DID NOT CLIMB OVERLY FAST IN OUR
EXPERIMENT...A CHILDS BODY TEMPERATURE WARMS MUCH QUICKER THAN AN
ADULT. CONDITIONS CAN GET DEADLY RELATIVELY QUICK SO NEVER TAKE A
CHANCE. NEVER LEAVE CHILDREN...PETS...OR EVEN THE ELDERLY IN A
PARKED CAR FOR EVEN SHORT PERIODS OF TIME.

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Storm Impacting the Northwest U.S.; Fire Weather Conditions in Southern California; Severe Weather in the South

How Fast Can Temperatures Rise In A Car?