Stay cool

The heatwave in the south is being blamed for the deaths of 33 people:

The heat wave sweeping through the South has been blamed for at least 33 deaths this month and created potentially ruinous drought conditions.

Relentless sunshine has sent temperatures to record highs across the region, topping 100 degrees in some areas for the 10th straight day. Temperatures soared in Tennessee, where late-afternoon readings reached 109 in Smyrna, 105 in Clarksville and 103 in Nashville. Huntsville, Ala., North Little Rock, Ark., Bowling Green, Ky., and Woodward, Okla., also hit 103.

A 53-year-old man was found dead in his apartment Wednesday in Memphis, raising the number of heat-related deaths in that city to eight, officials said. One of them was a 67-year-old woman who was visiting the city for the 30th anniversary of Elvis Presley’s death. She died Wednesday at a recreational vehicle park near Graceland.

It's been crazy-hot here in Charlotte, as well, and some nearby cities are starting up with the mandatory water restrictions. I wouldn't be surprised if we soon followed suit. Outside of some very sporadic rain we had a couple of weeks ago, it's been bone dry here since.