Weather WTF

[KRonn]

After a warm and sometimes hot week, Friday was cool like an Autumn day, turning to heavy rain overnight. Raining today, mostly light rain with off and on rain Sunday and into Monday. Cool temps.

[viper37]

Texas is the Alberta of the US

I mean it did snow here this year.

Exactly

it snows everywhere in the country during Wintier, except in lowland southern B.C..  I figure those that live close to the Alaska border do get some snow come winter.

[mongers]

Officially Warm here. 

[Barrister]

It was raining all day and has now indeed switched to snow.  Seems set to snow all night.

Sigh.

Remember this?  When it snowed 2 weeks ago?

We're now getting a heat warning for Wednesday through Friday with daytime highs of 28-35C.

[Malthus]

It was raining all day and has now indeed switched to snow.  Seems set to snow all night.

Sigh.

Remember this?  When it snowed 2 weeks ago?

We're now getting a heat warning for Wednesday through Friday with daytime highs of 28-35C.

Same here - see the wet snow post above, May 25. Crazy.

[Valmy]

It is consistently about 4C or 5C cooler and rainy every day with no end in sight. I am not sure what to make of it. It would usually be 32C or hotter and sunny every day by this time or year.

[mongers]

It is consistently about 4C or 5C cooler and rainy every day with no end in sight. I am not sure what to make of it. It would usually be 32C or hotter and sunny every day by this time or year.

Maybe the climate is trying to 'tell' us something?

[Syt]

Valmy, are you guys ok?

[Valmy]

The problem in the winter was not really with the grid and how it was designed but with generators not weatherizing to try to save money. Basically making what would be a wise risk in a market economy, which was what we designed our energy markets to be.

The June thing is just the normal summer crunch that happens every year. They may be misquoting ERCOT there.

This whole we let market prices drive energy may not be very politically sustainable. California has also had problems with it.

[Syt]

But I thought the Invisible Hand will take care of everything?

[Tonitrus]

But I thought the Invisible Hand will take care of everything?

Sometimes the Invisible Hand makes a fist and then...gets kinda kinky.

[Valmy]

But I thought the Invisible Hand will take care of everything?

Well the invisible hand does make things very efficient...but if you operate a grid that way then you might some politically damaging results. I mean is it efficient to have rarely used peaker infrastructure that might be only used a few times a year? No. Is it efficient to spend resources on weatherization that might only be useful for you a few days a decade? No.

But the needs of the market and the needs of the politicians are different. They need inefficient uses of resources to make sure there never are any issues. Those mean tweets don't bother the market but they sure bother the politicians.

[Syt]

Well, the problem will be solved when people just move to a provider with a grid that does meet the requirements. Competition baby!

(and no, I don't think a completely free and barely regulated market is a good idea for utilities)

[Valmy]

But as you can tell about a week ago we suddenly went into full Texas summer mode. Blistering humid heat both night and day. It came late but it came strong. I will be inside until October now.

[Syt]

We're getting the first series of 30+ days this week. I've stocked up on ice cream and filled my ice cube trays.