have you experienced changes in weather here from years ago? (Seattle: 2014, how much)

[flyingsaucermom]

There are subtle changes happening here and everywhere I've lived. I grew up in Texas so I know what's happening with the recurrent flooding is not something I saw as a child. The heat has not increased as much as I thought it would with climate change, but the quantity of rain falling during storms has increased. Not only in Houston, but in other areas like San Antonio and Dallas.

In the upper midwest, where each side of my extended family is from and where I lived for several years, you are seeing far more "pleasant" winters. Snow fall might be increasing in some areas and in some years, but that doesn't mean it's colder. In fact, my favorite snow is the "wet" globs that fall when the temperature is just below freezing. We had a lot of that here in Issaquah last winter.

I've been in the PNW for only 6 years, not really enough time to say I notice one pattern changing over to another. My first year was unseasonably cool: 2011... and apparently it's the last one we've really had.

We are not in an El Nino, when you typically see a lot of this warmer, dryer record-breaking weather. The el nino of 2015-early 2016 would normally stand out on it's own, but 2017 is continuing to challenge weather records: record breaking heat and dry spells. I'm modestly confident that we'll have a record-breaking September. We're very much above average for the first week of September with today and tomorrow possibly setting all time highs for these days. Keep in mind August 2017 was 2nd hottest August on record after August 2016.

CO2 pollution is beginning to affect the climate here and everywhere else.

Should you buy an A/C? I would say "no" because it's just adding more carbon pollution to everything else. You would probably feel more comfortable if you did however.

[tkz4]

Originally Posted by flyingsaucermom

Should you buy an A/C? I would say "no" because it's just adding more carbon pollution to everything else. You would probably feel more comfortable if you did however.

That argument makes sense if you plan on using the AC all summer like many people have to do in other cities. But if you have any health issue, or just are really uncomfortable in heat, then I don't think running your AC 10-20 days a year is going to have a huge environmental impact. I guess you can argue that even buying the unit is harmful though.

And if you want to keep down CO2 levels, then you should also think about never burning wood (in a stove, fireplace or grill.) The pollution levels in Seattle are highest in the winter when many people are burning wood. That might seem more "natural" (and cozy), but if you are worried about your carbon footprint, there are much more efficient ways to stay warm. (High efficiency stoves are maybe and exception.)

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by cis_love

so you're saying in your experience, the weather has always been like this?

Depends on what you mean by "like this". In a general way, yes, of course. Minus the extreme heat anomalies, which are a recent development, due to conditions some people don't seem to want to acknowledge. If you go back far enough, there used to be occasional warm summer rains in the early part of the summer. That's the most notable change (not counting the extreme heat waves, like 90-degree weather in June).

[flyingsaucermom]

Originally Posted by tkz4

That argument makes sense if you plan on using the AC all summer like many people have to do in other cities. But if you have any health issue, or just are really uncomfortable in heat, then I don't think running your AC 10-20 days a year is going to have a huge environmental impact. I guess you can argue that even buying the unit is harmful though.

And if you want to keep down CO2 levels, then you should also think about never burning wood (in a stove, fireplace or grill.) The pollution levels in Seattle are highest in the winter when many people are burning wood. That might seem more "natural" (and cozy), but if you are worried about your carbon footprint, there are much more efficient ways to stay warm. (High efficiency stoves are maybe and exception.)

The actions of any particular individual are essentially negligible because carbon pollution is an aggregate problem.


Does that mean we should all give up and not do anything?

[bergun]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

You were misinformed. Seattle has NEVER been chilly, wet and misty year 'round. Who told you that? Seattle has always had warm summers, with many days in the 80's, sometimes hitting 90. That was especially true in the 80's, when there was a bit of a drought cycle. Not an all-out drought, but there was water rationing most summers, and it was drier year-round.

I agree with Ruth4Trurth.

Born and raised here and I'm in my mid 50s. I remember summers in the mid/late 70s when we had several periods were the temps were in the mid 90s several time... Each summer. Seattle summers have always been dry and warm. This is nothing new and "I" don't... And "I" could be wrong, but I don't remember ANY wet and/or chilly summers ever.

Sometimes we had warm Septembers and up into mid October, so that's nothing new either.

Not getting into the global warming issue since there are different views on that subject. I'm just stating my own observations. If it's November and we're still having temps in the mid 70s to lower 80s, daily, then I would say that out of the norm, but would wait till next November even before saying is out of the norm.

[tkz4]

Originally Posted by flyingsaucermom

The actions of any particular individual are essentially negligible because carbon pollution is an aggregate problem.


Does that mean we should all give up and not do anything?

No, I'm saying to evaluate your choices and not knee jerk put down someone using AC on a 90 degree day when there are high/dangerous smoke levels that can kill people at risk like elderly and people with asthma.
And I'm pointing out the pollution impact of an AC running for 15 days a year is going to be 1/10th the impact of running it for 150 days a year like you would have to in many other cities.

Obviously there still is a negative cumulative effect when everyone turns on their AC. And if it was 78 degrees and not smokey outside then I'm all for people being told to use a fan instead of AC. But 90+ and smokey outside is a health hazard and I think running an AC in these conditions is justified for a lot of people. It will keep many at risk people out of emergency rooms or worse.

And the second point is that if someone says another person should not use an AC for 15 days... you have as much right to tell that same person to stop burning wood all winter. AC's use (but should not release) hydroflourocarbons as well a lot of electricity... and wood burning leads to CO2 and a multitude of carcinogens getting released. Even though burning wood is "natural" and an AC is not. A fireplace puts out as much (or more) particulate pollution/hr as a diesel truck and I'm guessing grilling has the same effect.
http://burningissues.org/comp-emmis-part-sources.htm Not only are you contributing to warming, you may be directly harming your neighbors health (and your family.)

There are lots of ways to decrease your carbon footprint. Not using AC is one. But not using AC on 90 degree days is dangerous to a lot of people- especially if the air is smokey from forest fires. So I'm trying to add some perspective.

[flyingsaucermom]

Originally Posted by tkz4

No, I'm saying to evaluate your choices and not knee jerk put down someone using AC on a 90 degree day when there are high/dangerous smoke levels that can kill people at risk like elderly and people with asthma.
And I'm pointing out the pollution impact of an AC running for 15 days a year is going to be 1/10th the impact of running it for 150 days a year like you would have to in many other cities.

Obviously there still is a negative cumulative effect when everyone turns on their AC. And if it was 78 degrees and not smokey outside then I'm all for people being told to use a fan instead of AC. But 90+ and smokey outside is a health hazard and I think running an AC in these conditions is justified for a lot of people. It will keep many at risk people out of emergency rooms or worse.

And the second point is that if someone says another person should not use an AC for 15 days... you have as much right to tell that same person to stop burning wood all winter. AC's use (but should not release) hydroflourocarbons as well a lot of electricity... and wood burning leads to CO2 and a multitude of carcinogens getting released. Even though burning wood is "natural" and an AC is not. A fireplace puts out as much (or more) particulate pollution/hr as a diesel truck and I'm guessing grilling has the same effect.
[url=http://burningissues.org/comp-emmis-part-sources.htm]Wood Smoke Comparison of Emissions from Smoke Particle Sources[/url] Not only are you contributing to warming, you may be directly harming your neighbors health (and your family.)

There are lots of ways to decrease your carbon footprint. Not using AC is one. But not using AC on 90 degree days is dangerous to a lot of people- especially if the air is smokey from forest fires. So I'm trying to add some perspective.

The thread's introduction asks about changing climate and air conditioning. I said, given the question if one should buy an air conditioner, that while they make one feel more comfortable it will contribute to the continuation of the problem.

It's a fact, not a "put down".

Now...

Did the OP ask about firing up the grill to cook up those Labor Day steaks? No.

Did the OP ask about using his chimney to have some early fall ambiance? No.

Those are a couple tangents you covered in several paragraphs.

The winner of the "knee jerk" reaction award goes to you tkz4.

[Hemlock140]

The fire department is encouraging people to use AC to help clean the smoker air, and not enough people have it to cause brownouts like they get in much of southern CA during prolonged heat spells. Currently it's hazy and 90 here, but a nice comfortable 72 here in the family room with just a window AC on low speed.

[flyingsaucermom]

Originally Posted by Hemlock140

The fire department is encouraging people to use AC to help clean the smoker air, and not enough people have it to cause brownouts like they get in much of southern CA during prolonged heat spells. Currently it's hazy and 90 here, but a nice comfortable 72 here in the family room with just a window AC on low speed.

I am very comfortable today without either fans or an AC. It's actually perfect temperature inside right now.

[oldgardener]

I've lived here for well over 60 years. The summers the last few years have been much warmer and drier than I can ever remember. July-August this year has tied 1914 for the driest summer on record.