Eric Berger

Hi everyone. We have reached early August, and if the past is anything to go by, our region has another six to eight weeks of really hot temperatures this summer. Certainly, the near-term forecast shows nothing but relentless heat.

One of the major downsides of excessive heat is the need to cool our homes continuously, day and night. This can lead to higher-than-normal usage, resulting in higher electricity bills. As you may know, Reliant is the long-time sponsor of Space City Weather, and today I wanted to share a conversation I had with them about things you can do to take a little bit of the sting out of your bill. So here are my questions, and their responses.

Why am I using so much electricity?

Many factors contribute to higher-than-normal electricity usage — most notably right now, the outside temperature. The hotter it is outside, the harder your air conditioner works to keep you cool inside. HVAC systems can account for up to 60 percent of your home’s electricity consumption in the summer, which is why we can experience seasonal bill spikes. You can learn about the top factors affecting your electricity usage and calculate the impact those have on your summer electricity costs here.

What are some strategies to manage my electric usage during the hottest months?

We all know this summer has been hotter than normal, but we still have a lot of summer left with temperatures typically reaching their peak in August. While we can’t control the outside temperature, we can find ways to stay comfortable AND in control of our electricity usage. The tips below will help you stay cool while conserving energy, ultimately helping you save money.

• Follow the 4-by-4 rule: If no one is going to be home for more than 4 hours, adjust the temperature 4 degrees higher while you’re gone.
• Use ceiling fans rotating counterclockwise to help circulate cool air, which can help you feel 4 to 6 degrees cooler.
• Use blinds or curtains to reduce solar heat gain by up to 50 percent. Blackout curtains are especially helpful in keeping rooms cool by blocking direct sunlight.
• Avoid using appliances that generate heat during the hottest part of the day. Plan to wash or dry clothes and use your dishwasher in the early morning or late evening hours when it’s cooler outside.  Wait to use the dishwasher until you have a full load.
• Get regular tune-ups for your HVAC system to ensure it’s running at its best, including checking and replacing air filters regularly. In the summer, this can be as often as once a month.
• Stay informed about your usage. Using the Reliant app, you can track usage, control your Google Nest thermostat, pay your bill and set up automated text and email alerts on the go.

How has the Texas electricity grid been holding up this summer?

Texas has been experiencing record heat this summer, and ERCOT has broken numerous peak load records. However, the grid has been performing well. Additional details are available on ERCOT’s website.

Why have there been calls for conservation on some days?

Demand response is an important tool for both retail electricity providers, like Reliant, and ERCOT to manage supply when extreme summer heat creates high demand across Texas. At times, electricity providers might proactively ask customers to conserve for a short period to help manage supply and costs, or ERCOT can issue a statewide call for conservation to balance overall supply and demand.

Reliant also has a program that rewards customers for adjusting their thermostat and reducing energy usage called Degrees of Difference. Read more in this post from SCW.

Is there help available for those who need it?

Yes! Reliant has 22 Beat the Heat centers across Houston that are free and open to the public, providing a comfortable place for the community to stay cool and safe, while decreasing energy usage at home. Reliant partners with the Houston Health Department and Precinct 2 to beat the heat together. For more details on locations and hours, visit reliant.com/beattheheat.

What happens if I am having trouble paying my bill?

No one should put their health at risk by choosing to not run their AC when the weather gets this hot because they are afraid of a higher-than-normal bill. From payment extensions to average monthly billing, we have options available. Reliant’s CARE program also helps customers who are facing financial hardship. Reliant has committed $1 million in funding this year and more than $17 million in statewide agency assistance since 2002. Anyone who needs help paying their electricity bill this summer can also call 2-1-1 within Texas or visit 211texas.org.

Anything else to add?

We hope the rest of this summer will be uneventful but rest assured, Reliant and Space City Weather will be there for you. If you’re a Reliant customer and need assistance, please reach out to us directly. We’re available 24/7 via live phone support at 1-866-222-7100, online chat, or on the Reliant app. We also want to thank Eric and Matt for their commitment to keeping us informed, no matter what the weather brings. Stay cool, SCW readers! 

Good morning. One byproduct of the heat and lack of rain this summer has been increasingly dry grasslands, and accordingly we’ve started to see the outbreak of wildfires. For example, on Wednesday, the Texas A&M Forest Service worked hard to contain the 215-acre “Snowhill Fire” in San Jacinto county, to the north of the Houston area. Fire conditions will persist for at least the next several days with the ongoing heat and could be exacerbated by winds a little bit higher than the region has has seen of late.

The model output below from the Forest Service highlights areas where fuel on the ground, particularly grasses, is susceptible to burning.

Thursday

As for the weather forecast, well, do you need to ask? High pressure continues to dominate our weather and we will see highs of around 100 degrees today with perhaps a 10 percent chance of rain. Skies will be mostly sunny, with lows near 80 degrees. Winds will be light, generally from the southeast, at 5 to 10 mph. Basically, this is unchanged from what we’ve been experiencing.

Friday

More of the same.

Saturday and Sunday

As high pressure starts to slowly slide westward, temperatures may come down slightly this weekend. We’re talking highs in the upper 90s to 100 degrees for most of the area, instead of highs around 100 degrees. So, probably not noticeable. Rain chances both days are on the order of 10 percent with mostly sunny skies.

Next week

The forecast for next week still calls for hot weather. But there’s still the potential for some slightly better rain chances by Wednesday or so as high pressure weakens a bit. The question is whether it will weaken enough, and I don’t think we can say that yet. Looking further into my crystal ball, I think there may be some hope for this overall pattern to change slightly, and for the better, by mid-August or so. But again, we’ll need at least a few more days before that’s something to feel confident in.

Good morning. The overall forecast, unfortunately, remains largely the same. A stultifying ridge of high pressure remains anchored over the Southern United States, and it will bring us very hot, and largely rain-free weather for at least the next week or ten days. The only real question is whether it backs off to the west just enough next week to allow for a modest increase in rain chances. That is possible, although not certain. In the mean time, we will remain in a pattern of extreme heat, based on “wet bulb globe temperatures,” through the weekend.

Wednesday

Yesterday a small area near Spring Valley, just to the west of central Houston, receiving a bullseye of rainfall. A few neighborhoods saw as much as one-half inch of rainfall. So it will go again today, with perhaps a 10 percent chance of rainfall while the rest of us see hot and sunny weather, with highs of around 100 degrees give or take. Winds will be light, out of the south at around 10 mph. Lows tonight remain persistently warm, only dropping to around 80 degrees.

Thursday and Friday

The pattern really doesn’t change much during the second half of the week, with high heat, sunny skies, and just a very slight chance of rainfall. Please continue to take heat precautions.

Saturday and Sunday

The weekend will not see much (if any) relief from the heat, although humidity levels may slacken just slightly. As high pressure slowly slides west, rain chances by Sunday may bump up slightly, to about 20 percent. We’ll see.

Next week

Truth be told, I don’t envision much change as we get deeper into August next week. The only potential ray of hope is that daily rain chances will inch upward, from 10 percent this week to perhaps 30 percent next week. My goodness, our yards could certainly use the break.

Good morning. Three of the region’s climate sites tied or broke high temperatures records on Monday:

• College Station: 106° (tying previous record, 1893)
• City of Houston: 103° (tying previous record, 1998)
• Hobby Airport: 102° (breaking previous record, 101°, 1948)

Unfortunately, we can expect more extreme heat today with a high pressure system anchored solidly over the southern United States, and exerting its influence over Texas. Very high heat will, unfortunately, persist through the weekend and into next week. There are signs of subtle changes in our forecast, but the relentless heat we’ve seen since June is likely to relent onward for awhile.

Tuesday

Like Monday, this will be another very warm day, with highs likely exceeding 100 degrees across much of the region. A weak disturbance is going to try and make its way through the mid-levels of the atmosphere later this afternoon, and in concert with daytime heating may produce some isolated showers. It will have its work cut out with all the sinking air, so I’d peg rain chances at only about 10 percent this afternoon and early evening. So yeah—probably not. But maybe. Winds will be light, out of the southwest.

Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday

More of the same, which is to say hot, sunny, and humid. Look for high temperature of 100 degrees for much of the area away from the coast. You know the drill.

Saturday and Sunday

By this weekend the aforementioned high pressure system will start easing to the west a bit. This may eventually provide a slight amount of relief, but it’s going to be slow in coming. So we can probably expect highs in the vicinity of 100 degrees again this weekend, with perhaps a 10 percent chance of rain on Saturday, increasing to 20 percent on Sunday

Next week

Houston’s torrid summer continues next week, with mostly sunny skies and highs in the upper 90s to 100 degrees. Rain chances may tick up a bit, but at this point I don’t think we’re looking at anything higher than 20 or 30 percent daily odds. I know this is brutal to read, and believe me, it’s difficult to write.