heat

Region Under Severe Thunderstorm Watch, Heat Advisory

By ARLnow.com

Arlington and the rest of the region is under a Severe Thunderstorm Watch through 10:00 tonight.

Forecasters say today’s scorching temperatures — we’re also under a Heat Advisory through 8:00 p.m. — will help fuel potentially severe storms late this afternoon or early this evening. The scattered storms will accompany a cold front that is heading toward the region from the west.

“Thunderstorms will have the potential to become severe… producing damaging wind gusts and large hail,” the National Weather Service said.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Heat Advisory Today — The heat and high humidity is not relenting after a scorching Memorial Day. The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for the D.C region from noon to 8:00 p.m. today. Temperatures are expected to reach the low-to-mid 90s, while the heat index soars to as high as 105. [Weather Channel]

Palin Does Rolling Thunder — Sarah Palin invited herself to attended the annual Rolling Thunder motorcycle gathering at the Pentagon over the weekend, causing a media feeding frenzy and a few hard feelings. Some organizers and attendees grumbled that the one-time Republican vice presidential candidate’s appearance created a political distraction from Rolling Thunder’s mission to raise awareness of American prisoners of war and missing service members. Palin was accompanied by husband Todd and daughters Bristol and Piper. [CBS News, Washington Post]

Missing D.C. Man Found Safe — Matthew Hill, a youth minister at George Washington University who went missing last Tuesday, has been found safe near his family’s home in North Carolina. D.C. police told a newspaper that he had traveled there — without contacting family or friends — for “personal reasons.” An extensive volunteer-led search and social media outreach campaign was launched by Hill’s friends following his disappearance. (His last known location was an Arlington gas station.) The concern for Hill’s well-being even extended into the sports world. Boston Red Sox pitcher Daniel Bard, a close friend of Hill, was said to be continuously checking his cell phone for updates in the team’s clubhouse. [Charlotte Observer, Boston Globe]

County Lawyer Gets NYT Wedding Write-Up — Congratulations to Arlington County Attorney’s Office lawyer Brian Charville and congressional staffer Bridget Fallon. Not only did the couple get married on Saturday, but their wedding received a coveted New York Times write-up. [New York Times]

Local Opera Company to Shut Down — After 50 years in existence, the Arlington-based Aurora Opera Theatre will be ceasing operations on July 1 due to financial difficulties. Aurora is currently the oldest operating opera company in Virgina. [Sun Gazette]

Flickr pool photo by Philliefan99

Bike Commuting in the Heat and Other Hot Weather Tips

By ARLnow.com

On this, the 50th 90+ degree day of the year, you’re probably already a pro at beating the heat. But just in case you need a refresher on hot weather best practices, here are a few resources that may come in handy.

For bike commuters, Bike Arlington’s Chris Eatough has a number of important tips for staying cool and hydrated on the road and non-smelly in the office. Among them: leave earlier in the morning, don’t wear a backpack and freeze your water bottles before heading out.

For pet owners, the Animal Welfare League of Arlington has advice for keeping your pets safe in hot weather. Limiting exercise for older dogs and dogs with thicker coats is recommended. Put sunscreen on your pet’s nose and ear tips if he or she is going to be out in the sun for awhile. And, of course, never, ever leave your pet in the car while running errands.

For people of all ages, Arlington County’s Hot Tips for Keeping Cool includes classic, common-sense hot weather advice that sometimes we can lose sight of in the midst of our busy schedules. For instance, if you’re going to be outside drink plenty of fluids, even if you’re not thirsty. Exercise in the morning or evening hours. And, again: never, ever leave kids or pets in the car unattended.

For local parents, the county’s spraygrounds are a great place for younger children to have fun and cool off. Check out the list of sprayground parks and their hours.

Finally, the county also has a page with tips for reducing your electricity usage during times of high power demand, such as hot and humid days like today.

Flickr pool photo by Christaki

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Heat It Up — Mother nature will attempt another run at triple digit temperatures today. The predicted high is 98 degrees. A Code Orange air quality alert has been issued for the region.

Mail Carrier Charged With Stealing Mail — An U.S. Postal Service employee at the Arlington Main Post Office has been charged with stealing mail. Alva Jackson is accused of swiping envelopes she thought might contain gift cards. Jackson, who worked as an Arlington mail carrier, was caught with 134 stolen pieces of mail in her house, according to charging documents. More from the Washington Examiner.

Cherrydale Condo Complex Back on Track — Construction of the Bromptons at Cherrydale condos (3800 Lee Highway) is expected to be completed by January 2011, a relief for neighbors who from 2006 to 2009 had to stare at the building’s half-finished facade. Construction stalled in 2006 when Arlington County determined the construction was of such poor quality that it temporarily shut down the project. More from TBD.

New Office Building Coming to Virginia Square — After seven years of development limbo, it appears that the Arlington Funeral Home in Virginia Square will finally be redeveloped. Plans to turn the site into a luxury condo building fell through in 2008 when the company that owned it at the time filed for bankruptcy. Now, the property has been sold to a local firm that plans to turn it into an office building. The company plans to include ground-floor retail, a public park and a public theater in the development, which will make it eligible for bonus density from the county. More from the Washington Business Journal.

Flickr pool photo by Chris Rief

Power Could Be Out In Fairlington Until Sunday

By ARLnow.com

Update at 5:10 p.m. — Dominion reports that 3,583 customers in Arlington are still without power.

Power in the hard-hit Fairlington neighborhood could be out until Sunday, Arlington County warned today. With temperatures reaching into the 90’s on Sunday, this could present a dangerous situation for residents who try to wait out the power outage in their homes.

Arlington advises that residents could use Central Library as a cooling shelter. Central Library is open until 5:00 today, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sautrday, and from 1:00 to 9:00 p.m. on Sunday.

Other cool places to kill time include the Pentagon City mall, Ballston mall and the Crystal City underground. Click here for more heat safety tips from the county.

Food safety is another concern. A refridgerator can only keep food at a safe temperature for four hours during a power outage, assuming the door is not opened. One way to keep food from spoiling is to bring in blocks of ice or dry ice.

Freezers can stay cooler longer, but only 24-48 hours. Again, bringing in some sort of ice could prevent your frozen food from thawing.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has a guide for which foods to throw out and which ones to keep when the power goes out for an extended period.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

The Heat Returns — After a stormy but cooler start to the week, the sun and the heat are back. And for good measure, the rains of the past two days have left us with plenty of humidity. See the forecast from weather.com, which — in a non-Arlington-related aside — is in the midst of yet another baffling redesign.

Slapsticon Returns — Slapsticon, the vintage comedy film festival, is returning to Arlington with a full slate of films from the silent and early sound eras. The four-day festival, held at the Rosslyn Spectrum Theater, kicks off at 1:00 this afternoon. The highlight of the festival will come on Saturday, when The Thief Catcher, a lost Charlie Chaplin film that was recently found at an antiques sale in Michigan, re-premieres on the big screen.

Obesity Discussion Tonight — Voice Box, the topical chat show on Arlington Independent Media, will be hosting a discussion on obesity and obesity prevention tonight. The scheduled guests are Amy Maclosky, Director of Food Services for Arlington Public Schools, and Dr. Scott Kahan, Co-Director of George Washington University’s Weight Management Program. The program films before a live studio audience. For those wishing to attend, doors open at 7:00 p.m. at AIM’s Clarendon studios (2701-C Wilson Blvd).

Flickr pool photo by mennyj.

A-SPAN Provides Hot Weather Relief

By ARLnow.com

The Arlington Street People’s Assistance Network has stepped up some of its services in response to the dangerously hot weather.

Executive Director Kathy Sibert says volunteers have been visiting homeless camps in Arlington and handing out ice water-filled water bottles donated by Harris Teeter. A-SPAN has also been opening its drop-in center in Shirlington at 9:00 a.m. instead of the usual 1:00 p.m. And they’re handing out additional water to the 90 people who usually show up for dinner.

Sibert says days like today demonstrate the need for a year-round homeless shelter. Currently, the county only operates an emergency winter shelter.

“Homeless people don’t just exist in the winter, it’s a year-round issue,” Sibert said.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Near Misses for DCA-Bound Planes — An alarming number of close calls have been occurring in the skies over Washington. According to the Washington Post’s Ashley Halsey III, who knows a thing or two about aircraft accidents, there have been several recent near-misses involving planes on approach to Reagan National Airport. Inexperienced air traffic controllers may be part of the problem, Halsey reports.

Hot Hot Heat — Expect temperatures to touch or surpass 100 degrees today, as a dangerous heatwave envelops the east coast. A heat advisory will be in effect from noon today to 11:00 Wednesday night. With the high humidity, it could feel as hot as 110 degrees. Such temperatures could be deadly, especially for young children and the elderly.

Flickr pool photo by Rukasu1.