Sioux Falls, SD and Des Moines, IA (KELO AM) - The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for the listening area beginning Friday at 12 Noon and ending at 8PM.
According to the NWS heat index readings during that time will soar to as high as 105 degrees, with air tempratures topping out at 96 degrees. Those numbers have prompted Mid America Energy to issue a Peak Alert for Friday, calling on consumers to scale back their use of electrictiy during the heat of the day.
"We still have plenty of capacity to meet people's energy needs, it's just that we ask people to reduce energy usage throught the day," said Mid America's Tina Potthoff.
Mid America provided the following tips to deal with the situation:
1. Wait till sundown: Limit clothes drying, baking and other heat-producing work with appliances to the morning hours or after 7 p.m.
2. Dial up: Setting your thermostat a few degrees higher can make a big difference – reducing electrical usage 3 to 5 percent for each degree. A setting of 78 degrees will keep you comfortable when it is more than 90 degrees outside. If you are not at home during the day, close the house and turn off the air conditioner.
3. Use fans: Fans use less energy than air conditioners and can boost the comfort from an air conditioner, increasing its efficiency. Use ceiling and portable fans to better circulate cool air throughout your home. Reverse the normal direction of ceiling fans to pull cool air up from the floor. Ventilate your attic with a thermostatically controlled fan.
4. Trim foliage outside: Keep your air conditioner unit clear of grass, weeds and shrubs. This will keep your air conditioner unit from working too hard.
5. Block sun: Close drapes, particularly those on west and south windows, to shut out direct sunlight.
MidAmerican Energy also reminds customers to be safe during times of extreme heat and provide support to elderly neighbors, family members and friends who do not have an air conditioner. Customers without an air conditioner can also visit a public place such as a mall or library to find relief.