We are into July and the mercury is rising.

The northeast and mid-west are breaking records for electricity use. The grids are stressed. It won't take much to see brownouts and power failures. Down here in Florida many, or at least some, of us are acclimated to the heat. Farther north the average person has little experience with dealing with real heat without using AC.

http://scienceblogs.com/casaubonsbook/2010/07/how_not_to_fry_keeping_cool_wi.php

Generally, I don't run my AC until August. And even then mostly it is a late evening thing for a few weeks. Last year I didn't run my AC at all. I get along pretty well with ventilation and shade, a small fan to help move the air, as much bare skin as legally permissible, and drinking a lot of water.

How do you all handle the heat?

Do you have a plan to handle a situation of high heat and no AC?

I'd have to retreat into my basement if the AC/power was out for a long time. It's pretty cool down there.

I was stationed in FL for 3 years and found the summer heat and humidity there unbearable. Entire months of black flag days (no outdoor physical activity).

Conversely, I always got a kick of Floridians retreating inside and layering up in the winter months when the thermometer dipped to a "frigid" 60.

I used to be able to handle humid 40°C and no AC no problem, but since moved up north and adapting to the -20 temp, even 30 is on the hot side. But if it comes down to it I'm sure I can still re-adapt pretty quickly.

I'm not as far north as you, but I know what you mean. This last winter we saw it get down under -30 F and I'm sure it'll be well over a hundred within a week or two.

I lived in So.Florida & Worked with a Construction co. building homes,mostly in Boca Raton,& Tamarac/Pompano area.Summertime was Easily 95degrees/95%humidity,24/7! It was against the law for any construction crew,to Not provide Cold water(coolers had to have ice in them at All times)& we had been inspected at least 3 times a week.The heat was Brutal,as was the humidity but we endured regardless,Thanks to Good ol'Suthn'Food-Grits n'Greens n'Gizzards,& Lotsa'Busch Beer!I didn't have A/C where I lived but,there was a canal out the back gate,that saw my presence,More often than Not.When I wasn't fishin' with a Cane pole,I was swimmin/floatin'usually!

A bunch of us Southern boys and girls (La. and Fla.) were sent to March AFB in Riverside, CA, for some DMAT training, where we were repeatedly cautioned about the "dangerous" heat prevailing in that desert clime. We were laughing our posteriors off. Barely 90 degrees, with no humidity at all, plenty of shade, cold water, and a steady breeze. Who were they kidding! I was looking for a sweater.

"follow the dog"..when they head to the basement so do i.

I turned off the AC today, it's 33°C inside right now and I actually feel relatively comfortable. So I guess if I can adapt to this in a few hours, I can probably do much higher in a few days. 15 years of living in humid 40° weather and largely without AC does have some benefit.

Humidity is the key...what's the relative humidity?