Has your local media been downplaying the summer heat?

[begin_within]

The summer of 2006 was unbearably hot and humid in southern California, at least during June and July. 2007 has been slightly better, but the month of August has been pretty brutal. The mountain town of Julian, California hit 104 today and they are at 4235 feet in elevation. Yet John Coleman of KUSI-TV (and, by the way, the founder of The Weather Channel) is loath to call it a "heat wave." Tonight he said, "we'll continue with the warm temperatures, some would call it a heat wave." Huh? 85 at the oceanfront and 104 in the mountains? If that's not a heatwave, then what is?
They will do stories on "ways to stay cool" but they won't talk about the overall trends, the hotter summers than in previous years and the fact that we got only half our normal rainfall during the rainy season. They just report things one day at a time and make no mention of "climate change" whatsoever. Is this the situation with the media in your area?

[Mythsaje]

1. It hasn't really been abnormally warm up here...

Plus, I don't watch the network news. Frankly, the weather hasn't been particularly newsworthy.

[Liberty Belle]

2. The ocean water off San Diego is the hottest I've ever felt it....

feels like Hawaii!

San Diego Native, at 50

[AlCzervik]

3. i just got done watching and they're calling it a heat wave up here

all the "Keep cool" tips too. The lack of rainfall is a huge problem and i have the crappy looking lawn to prove it, i'm watering 3 days a week now 5 minutes a zone, my neighbors lawns look like putting greens--fuckers. Lets hope for a good rainy season.

[Sanctified]

4. First summer I have not had to run AC since I have moved to Oregon. n/t

[Tunkamerica]

5. no they haven't

the chief meteorologist at my station has been keeping us up to date on the record breaking heat and dryness. we missed driest august by a few hundredths of an inch and we're on track for the hottest year ever here in central NC.

[Adsos Letter]

6. and it is currently 87* outside here at 11:21 pm

[lonestarnot]

7. You know, I was going to post this very comment tonight re the heat here.

Just feeling sorry for my animals. They live in the doggie pool half the day while I'm at work. Tomorrow is supposed to be another scorcher here. No climate change mention here either.

[silverojo]

8. Not at all

They're griping about the heat, and saying that it's a year of record-breaking temps. Damned hot!

[billyoc]

9. Nothing interesting here in NYC, pretty normal summer.

:shrug:

[dbt]

10. People from New Orleans come to Arkansas and tell us it's because

of our dry heat.

What passes for Media here generally does not talk about the heat, 'cause it's already been done.

[unhappycamper]

11. It's been a *lot* cooler than usual in Boston.

Our 'normal' hot time is late July/early August. It gets 95+ for two to three weeks.

July was mostly rainy and cool, with highs around 60. We've had maybe one or two days of 90+.

[robcon]

12. It's been a little cooler than usual this summer in NY

Nothing worth writing about.

[mwb970]

13. It hasn't really been that hot in Columbus.

We didn't hit 100 degrees once this year. Although we have been a bit short on rain, it has seemed like a "normal summer" subjectively. (I mean, it always has been hot in the summer here, even in the Good Old Days.)

[RebelOne]

14. It has been hot, hot, hot here in the Atlanta, GA area.

We have had record-breaking heat this month. Some days it was up to 105.

[Thothmes]

15. Typical Tidewater Virginia Summer this year.

Mid 80s to mid 90s and high humidity. Nothing out of the ordinary. Could use a little more rain though.