Saturday, January 24, 2026

The Night Texas Hit 140°F (60°C) During a Thunderstorm

The atmosphere is inherently turbulent, so it doesn't surprise me that weird weather can happen.

I don't think that humans can survive 140 degrees for four hours.  Reportedly, people took shelter in storm cellars and basements and used wet cloths to cool off.  

I'm not sure how many people had air conditioning in 1960, although it became more common in the 60s and 70s.  

This is a rare meteorological event.  If it happened today, we would probably survive because of AC, although we might be pretty hot for a while.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5sBhpmTjn0&t=974s

It goes without saying that unnatural events can produce deadly heat.  I'm thinking of nuclear weapons.  In the (unlikely) event of a nuclear blast, you should stay indoors, preferably in a basement for about 3 days.  Reportedly, radiation from fallout will drop by 99% in 49 hours.  However, being indoors doesn't guarantee your safety, and reportedly you have about 45 minutes after the blast to evacuate the affected area, which in theory could spread over a large area.  Since nuclear weapons produce an EMP, it is possible that nothing electrical will work.

Just as a precaution, I keep a supply of bottled water, enough to last a few days.

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