Wednesday, July 25, 2007

AFA

Afa = hot, suffocating air. It's also just the sound you want to make in this heat!
The extreme heat continues, though I think we were about a degree cooler today. Yesterday the military base at Sigonella [Catania] recorded a temperature of 45.4 C, the highest in 50 years. In Monreale [Palermo] there has been a tragedy: a 33-year-old woman who suffered from MS died whilst sitting on her balcony. It seems probable that she fell asleep and the heat led to breathing difficulties which provoked a cardiac arrest. In Ragusa a 77-year-old woman died, again from cardiac arrest, probably also brought on by the heat. Bush and forest fires continue to rage. In fact there are fires not only in Sicily but all over Italy, particularly the south, the worst having been in Peschici [Puglia] yesterday.
There is a little relief here tonight and at least the cicadas are singing. [They were completely silent last night, as if even they had given up the ghost.] We are promised a Maestrale [Mistral]wind tomorrow.

14 comments:

Chris said...

You're baking, we're freezing. I seriously considered putting the heating on this evening but went and got another sweater instead.

Hope you're soon a bit cooler.

Anonymous said...

What is the weather going to do next. Floods, heat, misery for lots of folks. Some people don't like to hear the term, But global warming seems to be adding to the changes. Or am I wrong?

Liz Hinds said...

I hope the Mistral arrives and is cooling. Poor you and Simi.

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

Chris, I know - it's crazy! Steve, I don't know what to think any more! Thanks, Liz.

Maria said...

Gosh! I thought it hot and sticky here but I think compared to you guys... we're like Antartica! Sending you cool breezes and buckets of ice water!

Please don't go out with out water for you and Simi!

M

Ruthie said...

Come visit Canada!

I'm in Canada for a week and let me tell you, although the temperature is in the 90s and 100s (F) everywhere for miles around, near Lake Superior there are the most wonderful cool sea breezes than you would just love.

I hope the heat eases and the wind picks up!

jmb said...

I hope it cools off soon WCLC. I know that you and Miss Simi are suffering from this heat wave.

I hate bush fires, the scourge of Australia and here in British Columbia too. I'm sure you don't have any excess trees to burn and hopefully there is no loss of life.

marymaryquitecontrary said...

I hope that Mistral blows a gale for you;(does the Mistral ever bring rain?), if I were you welchcakes I would stand out in it and enjoy.

Sally said...

Fingers crossed it cools down today - meanwhile sit quiet! I just read the piece about Peschici, an area I know well - that beautiful forest, so sad.

James Higham said...

Interesting indeed - it's awful. I know 44 degree temperatures well and even the shoes melt into the asphalt. Good luck until the cool change.

Whispering Walls said...

Do you know this tongue twister: trentatre Trentini entrarono a Trento tutti e trentatre trotterenlando. It won't help with the heat but may liven up your classes.

PinkAcorn said...

Just got back from BC Canada and north Idaho, thought I'd have a little reprieve from from the heat in California , but no! Although the temps are no where near your 45C I just can't imagine not having a melt down!!! I certainly wish you some cool breezes asap.

Crushed said...

And here it just rains...

Think you can keep the weather though...

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

Hi, M. We're Ok for drinking water as the kind man over the road brings us several 6-packs of "L bottles whenever he goes to the supermarkrt. [The tap water is drinkable but I prefer min water and always drank it in the UK.] Water for washing, etc., is another matter - you've read about the erratic deliveries here, especially in summer! Ruthie, I've always wanted to go to Canada! It sounds wonderful. Jmb, cooled today, but we are told it's going up again tomorrow. MM, we had the breeze but it might go by tomorrow. Still, it was mos welcome. Sometimes we get rain with the Mistral but that's ulikely before Sept. Thanks, Sally - cooler but hotting up again as I write. Peschici a tragedy, I agree. Thanks for the empathy, James. WW, thank you. I did not know it but I will repeat it likr a mantra when the heat gets to me! Thanks, Pink. Hope you had a good time there. Cooler today but we are told the heat is coming back tomorrow. Crushed, I'd stand out in some English - or Welsh - rain right now [not flood rain, though].

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