Heat, smoky air fill Modesto, but for how long? MID, TID hit record for power demand
One of the worst hot spells in years continued Wednesday, with Modesto-area temperatures expected to top 100 for a seventh straight day.
The heat combined with wildfire smoke to make breathing hard for people with respiratory conditions. But everyone might want to just stay inside if possible to avoid heat stress and related ills.
The National Weather Service forecast a high of 104 in Modesto on Wednesday. The heat peaked at 102 to 109 over the previous six days, according to the Modesto Irrigation District.
The threat extends over the Central Valley and adjacent foothills, which have seen a sudden burst of fires, including one in the hills west of Patterson.
“The entire population could be impacted by long-duration extreme heat with little to no relief overnight,” said a Wednesday morning advisory from the Sacramento office of the Weather Service.
The weather service’s extreme heat warning was set to expire Wednesday night at 9 p.m. The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District extended its Air Quality Alert, which it issued on Monday.
The weather service also issued Wednesday a Red Flag Warning for the low humidity and high winds, which will continue to hamper firefighters. That will remain in effect until Thursday at 9 a.m.
A dozen cooling centers await around Stanislaus County for people who don’t have their own air conditioning. They do not include Vintage Faire Mall, which had been on an initial list and is mostly closed by the pandemic.
The heat wave caused record electricity demand in both MID and the Turlock Irrigation District. Both reported no major outages so far this week but urged customers to conserve.
A brief dip into the upper 90s
The forecast calls for Modesto highs of 97 on Thursday and Friday, followed by three days at 100 and 99 on Tuesday.
Also of concern is the lack of nighttime cooling that usually happens during Modesto-area summers. The city got down to only 80 early Wednesday and 82 a day earlier, MID reported.
Heat-stressed people and livestock usually benefit from overnight breezes from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
The good news: Overnight lows around 70 are forecast over the next few days, including a brisk 67 as Friday dawns.
MID and TID prepared for demand
MID had record demand of 702 megawatts Monday, followed by 695 on Tuesday, spokeswoman Melissa Williams said by email.
The district got through it by activating a program where some customers agree beforehand to have their AC switched off temporarily. Some commercial and industrial users also cut demand.
“Despite the heat and record peak, we experienced only a few heat-related power outages Monday,” Williams said.
Wednesday’s smoke layer was expected to tamp down the demand to about 690 megawatts, she said.
TID’s electricity demand hit a record 692 megawatts Monday, spokesman Brandon McMillan said by email. It dipped to 690 on Tuesday and was forecast at 680 on Wednesday.
TID reported no major outages, but McMillan advised that the heat can cause localized stresses on the lines.
“The district has procured enough energy resources to meet the increased demand throughout the heat wave,” he said. “However, we appreciate our customers’ conservation efforts to help reduce the strain on the system.”
Update for customers of PG&E
Some people in Stanislaus County get power from Pacific Gas & Electric Co., which also serves Tuolumne and other mountain counties.
The utility said California avoided rotating outages for a third straight day on Tuesday. It credited conservation efforts and urged customers to keep it up.
Among the tips:
- Run the AC in the morning, when electricity supplies are not stressed, then keep the thermostat at 78 degrees when at home during the rest of the day, health permitting. Turn it up to 85 or turn it off when not at home.
- Use a ceiling fan to help spread the cooled air. Turn off fans and lights when you leave the room.
- Cover windows with shades and awnings.
- Avoid using the oven in favor of the stove top, microwave or outdoor grill.
- Don’t open the fridge too often. The average family does it 33 times a day.
- Run dishwashers and laundry machines early in the day or late at night.
- Check on elderly or frail people at risk from the heat.
- Drink plenty of water, even when you are not thirsty.
- Take a cool shower or bath and wear lightweight, loose, light-colored clothing.
- Stay out of direct sunlight.
- Avoid alcohol and caffeine.
This story was originally published August 19, 2020 at 12:56 PM.
