French 'Canicule' (heat-wave)

[chunky butt]

Well just been down my local bar on a purely rehydration visit, and can thourghly recommend his finest ale to anyone passing or in the vacinty to par take....obviously on medicinal purposes during these adverse high temps .....worked a treat for me

[daveuprite]

And sadly I imagine fatalities will be at record levels as well.

I read a good tip somewhere that people are filling hot water bottles to freeze during the day so they can keep cooler in bed at night.

That's a good idea. We've had fans on the horses in their stables for the last few days, and we freeze chopped up bits of carrot in water and give them carrot cubes now and again. They won't be going back out in the fields until 10pm tonight, then back indoors by 9am. It's bloody roasting out in the paddocks at 4pm.

Outside thermometer hit 41 today in the shade and the pool is 33 !

You can always put a bowl of water or block of ice in front of the fan, it not only cools the air flow slightly but adds moisture. So you're not just blowing hit dry air around.

In extremes hang a wet towel in front

We did use to wring out a tea towel and drape that over the fan guard.

It's not only about moving air but trying to cool and moisten the air.

Thanks Zim. I'll try the bowl of water/ice trick. Luckily our big barn, which is divided into stables, has 70cm thick stone walls which have not fully heated up yet (this heat wave is earlier in the Summer than they usually are) - and that keeps it about 10 degrees cooler than outside. We've got the barn doors closed and trying to keep it dark but with as much circulation as poss. Actually the horses have it better than we do, because our bedroom is in the attic. We might sleep out in the garden tonight.

[qcnr]

The French record has just been broken again, within the same day.

2 hours ago in Gallargues-le-Montueux in the Gard département it hit 45.9C.

2019 is already on course to be the global hottest year on record, and if that happens then 2015-2019 would become the hottest five-year period on record.

Wish we were getting some of the heat up here, barley gets into the high teens here, but there is plenty of
moisture in the air.

[daveuprite]

And sadly I imagine fatalities will be at record levels as well.

I read a good tip somewhere that people are filling hot water bottles to freeze during the day so they can keep cooler in bed at night.

That's a good idea. We've had fans on the horses in their stables for the last few days, and we freeze chopped up bits of carrot in water and give them carrot cubes now and again. They won't be going back out in the fields until 10pm tonight, then back indoors by 9am. It's bloody roasting out in the paddocks at 4pm.

Outside thermometer hit 41 today in the shade and the pool is 33 !

You can always put a bowl of water or block of ice in front of the fan, it not only cools the air flow slightly but adds moisture. So you're not just blowing hit dry air around.

In extremes hang a wet towel in front

We did use to wring out a tea towel and drape that over the fan guard.

It's not only about moving air but trying to cool and moisten the air.

I ended up trying this:



And it worked quite well. Noticeable decrease in temperature. Of course the water needs emptying regularly and fresh ice required, but it's no trouble and keeps the horses a bit cooler. I tried the cunning wet towel plan too. It works but not as effective as ice.

It's cooled down a bit now in France. Much better if you have a trip planned.