How hot is too hot for schools here in the west coast?

[WeatherArchive]

When I went to school it was never really hot in the spring but I'm curious as to if schools along the west coast has ever closed when an unusual heatwave happens while in session?

 

Here is some google searches about it mainly the east coast which has lower heat temps but higher humidity.http://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/New-Britain-Schools-to-Release-Early-Tuesday-Wednesday-Due-to-Heat-325369061.html

 

Here is one from Philly.  https://www.apnews.com/e19f8278deec4785a21010dbb3373695 

Hot weather leads to school closings, early dismissals

 

Sep. 08, 2016

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Steamy weather is leading some school districts in eastern Pennsylvania to call early dismissals or close entirely.

All schools in Reading (REH’-ding) were closed Thursday as temperatures were expected in the mid-90s, but felt more like 100 degrees.

Philadelphia’s school district announced an early dismissal for its schools on Friday over the expected high temperatures. Students will be dismissed at noon.

A heat advisory is in effect for a swath of eastern Pennsylvania, including Philadelphia, Allentown and Reading.

 

Here is one from Baltimore where you'd think they'd be more *used to it*.    http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/education/blog/bs-md-co-heat-closure-policy-20160829-story.html They are now proposing changes to the system.

 

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/education/sdut-heat-forces-short-school-days-2014sep15-htmlstory.htmlEven schools in San Diego which half of them now have AC have minimum days if classrooms are not equipped.  They don't close schools outright which makes sense as it's counter productive to send students out into more heat to go home but instead reduce work loads and physical activity while still doing some learning.

[Phil]

When I went to school it was never really hot in the spring but I'm curious as to if schools along the west coast has ever closed when an unusual heatwave happens while in session?

 

Here is some google searches about it mainly the east coast which has lower heat temps but higher humidity.http://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/New-Britain-Schools-to-Release-Early-Tuesday-Wednesday-Due-to-Heat-325369061.html

 

Here is one from Philly. https://www.apnews.com/e19f8278deec4785a21010dbb3373695

Hot weather leads to school closings, early dismissals

 

 

Sep. 08, 2016

 

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Steamy weather is leading some school districts in eastern Pennsylvania to call early dismissals or close entirely.

All schools in Reading (REH’-ding) were closed Thursday as temperatures were expected in the mid-90s, but felt more like 100 degrees.

Philadelphia’s school district announced an early dismissal for its schools on Friday over the expected high temperatures. Students will be dismissed at noon.

A heat advisory is in effect for a swath of eastern Pennsylvania, including Philadelphia, Allentown and Reading.

 

Here is one from Baltimore where you'd think they'd be more *used to it*. http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/education/blog/bs-md-co-heat-closure-policy-20160829-story.html They are now proposing changes to the system.

 

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/education/sdut-heat-forces-short-school-days-2014sep15-htmlstory.htmlEven schools in San Diego which half of them now have AC have minimum days if classrooms are not equipped. They don't close schools outright which makes sense as it's counter productive to send students out into more heat to go home but instead reduce work loads and physical activity while still doing some learning.

The issue in Baltimore was that classroom temperatures were approaching 100 degrees, which is unsafe for electrical equipment and generally makes learning impossible, or so I would think. So only the schools without AC were closed. I still remember a few stretches back in grade school where we didn't have AC yet, and the teachers would turn off all the lights and open all the windows to keep the classrooms cool. No bueno.

 

Philly, on the other hand, is just lol. They issue excessive heat warnings when heat indices surpass 100*F. We don't even get a heat advisory unless heat indices surpass 105*F.

[Black Hole]

As far as I know there have never been school closures in the SLC area for heat or cold. The hottest it gets during school is maybe 100F or so. In winter it gets down to about 0-5F most years but without wind. 

[Guest happ]

The issue in Baltimore was that classroom temperatures were approaching 100 degrees, which is unsafe for electrical equipment and generally makes learning impossible, or so I would think. So only the schools without AC were closed. I still remember a few stretches back in grade school where we didn't have AC yet, and the teachers would turn off all the lights and open all the windows to keep the classrooms cool. No bueno.

 

Philly, on the other hand, is just lol. They issue excessive heat warnings when heat indices surpass 100*F. We don't even get a heat advisory unless heat indices surpass 105*F.

 

Same in California; they make the kids come to school & set up extra fans/ low light/ limited outdoor rec but lots of time in covered outdoor patio/ table areas. During a steady wind, the most comfortable place on campus. Most schools have A/C.   

[WeatherArchive]

That actually makes more sense but one advantage of California *I used to live in Northern California including the mountains* is that ALL schools have outdoor access to classrooms with covered walkways but still outdoors.

 

 Indoor hallways are very short in length as much as the faculty needs for their stuff and indoor hallways to classrooms is virtually unheardof..  

Imagine doing that in a stuffy hallway without AC Yuck!  Some of us smarter students which I did would take short cuts outside and it actually saved time and made you early ready for the lesson.

 

Is it just California that has outside access to classrooms or is that a common thing in the south? About how far north do you suppose schools have outdoor walkways?

[WeatherArchive]

Same in California; they make the kids come to school & set up extra fans/ low light/ limited outdoor rec but lots of time in covered outdoor patio/ table areas. During a steady wind, the most comfortable place on campus. Most schools have A/C.   

That actually makes more sense then downright closures.  Of course parents if they can schedule it are always welcomed to pick kids up as long as the school is notified they are cool.

 

 Iowa and some of the plain states tend to have *minimum* days which due to state funding still counts as a full day due to having all lessons achieved just shortened a bit.   

[Guest happ]

That actually makes more sense but one advantage of California *I used to live in Northern California including the mountains* is that ALL schools have outdoor access to classrooms with covered walkways but still outdoors.

 

 Indoor hallways are very short in length as much as the faculty needs for their stuff and indoor hallways to classrooms is virtually unheardof..  

Imagine doing that in a stuffy hallway without AC Yuck!  Some of us smarter students which I did would take short cuts outside and it actually saved time and made you early ready for the lesson.

 

Is it just California that has outside access to classrooms or is that a common thing in the south? About how far north do you suppose schools have outdoor walkways?

 

My work took me to many public schools. The typical model is a cafeteria adjacent to a large outdoor eating area covered for protection from rain/ sun. The reliable afternoon wind can feel as comfortable as A/C.

[Scott]

As far as I know there have never been school closures in the SLC area for heat or cold. The hottest it gets during school is maybe 100F or so. In winter it gets down to about 0-5F most years but without wind. 

 

We did once in High School, but only because the heater was broken.   It was -14F that day at the airport (February 6 1989), which is pretty cold for Salt Lake (though several places in the Utah Valley were in the -20's).  It was the coldest temperature at the airport while living in the SLC area, some some parts of the valley did get colder in December 1990.

[Black Hole]

We did once in High School, but only because the heater was broken.   It was -14F that day at the airport (February 6 1989), which is pretty cold for Salt Lake (though several places in the Utah Valley were in the -20's).  It was the coldest temperature at the airport while living in the SLC area, some some parts of the valley did get colder in December 1990.

Yeah that would definitely do it. I would guess back in some of the more brutal winters like 1948-49 there were a few days of closures but nothing like that ever happens anymore. 

[WeatherArchive]

My work took me to many public schools. The typical model is a cafeteria adjacent to a large outdoor eating area covered for protection from rain/ sun. The reliable afternoon wind can feel as comfortable as A/C.

About how far north do you think you have to go before the indoor model of schools are seen? I imagine anything above 40 north?

[Guest happ]

About how far north do you think you have to go before the indoor model of schools are seen? I imagine anything above 40 north?

 

Ceiling fans are used extensively and work fine during lower dew point temps. That is all people could rely on before air conditioning. The misery of summer. I live in a house built in 1910. There is one open room on the north side that was a sleeping porch during warm weather.   

[Anti Marine Layer]

Again I am probably in the top 10% of the human population for sensitivity to cold. It makes me feel like a wimp, but anything below 75 indoors is too cold for me for summer clothes and I can tolerate up to about 82 before I feel I need the AC, which I usually have no lower than 78.

 

At work the AC is set to 73 and I am in a drafty area and sometimes I am freezing even with long sleeves. I know most people like AC and 72 or lower. I usually have my heat at 75 in winter, but not the whole house gets that warm.

 

However there was one day last summer that our AC broke at work and it was nearing 90 in the office. It was miserable. It was about the same outside in the shade, but did not feel as awful, so yes I actually do get hot sometimes. I prefer heat over cold anytime.

[Guest happ]

Again I am probably in the top 10% of the human population for sensitivity to cold. It makes me feel like a wimp, but anything below 75 indoors is too cold for me for summer clothes and I can tolerate up to about 82 before I feel I need the AC, which I usually have no lower than 78.

 

At work the AC is set to 73 and I am in a drafty area and sometimes I am freezing even with long sleeves. I know most people like AC and 72 or lower. I usually have my heat at 75 in winter, but not the whole house gets that warm.

 

However there was one day last summer that our AC broke at work and it was nearing 90 in the office. It was miserable. It was about the same outside in the shade, but did not feel as awful, so yes I actually do get hot sometimes. I prefer heat over cold anytime.

 

I am really surprised by how warm your office is unless staff have floor/ ceiling/ desk fans. Where I worked the temp was 68 during summer esp during high dew points.  

[Phil]

Again I am probably in the top 10% of the human population for sensitivity to cold. It makes me feel like a wimp, but anything below 75 indoors is too cold for me for summer clothes and I can tolerate up to about 82 before I feel I need the AC, which I usually have no lower than 78.

 

At work the AC is set to 73 and I am in a drafty area and sometimes I am freezing even with long sleeves. I know most people like AC and 72 or lower. I usually have my heat at 75 in winter, but not the whole house gets that warm.

 

However there was one day last summer that our AC broke at work and it was nearing 90 in the office. It was miserable. It was about the same outside in the shade, but did not feel as awful, so yes I actually do get hot sometimes. I prefer heat over cold anytime.

Ugh, man that's nuts. I need indoor temperatures in the 60s to feel comfortable in the summer. I can literally feel the heat radiating in here on the hottest days, even with the AC on full blast.

[Anti Marine Layer]

Ugh, man that's nuts. I need indoor temperatures in the 60s to feel comfortable in the summer. I can literally feel the heat radiating in here on the hottest days, even with the AC on full blast.

It depends on the dewpoint or the humidity, of course. Typically dewpoints are in upper 50s to low 60s during the summer here, which is less than the East Coast.

 

On a extremely dry day, such as when we get Santa Ana Winds, 80 in the shade can feel a little cool. Those days humidity can be less than 10%.

[Phil]

The swamp has turned on here, that's for sure. The dewpoint touched 77*F today with a high of 92*F under a full summer solstice sun angle of 70 degrees.

 

Awful. I'll take dry 115*F+ desert heat over this crap any day.

[Guest happ]

.

The swamp has turned on here, that's for sure. The dewpoint touched 77*F today with a high of 92*F under a full summer solstice sun angle of 70 degrees.

 

Awful. I'll take dry 115*F+ desert heat over this crap any day.

 

About the same temp [91F] here but dew points slightly below 60°.

 

It was 116F in Palm Springs w/ dewpoints in the 30's.

 

I think I'll take the West Coast over the East Coast today, Phil