Fans and air conditioners flew off shelves, people swarmed swimming pools and lawn sprinklers worked overtime as Colorado Springs residents did their best to keep their cool during eight straight days of temperatures of 90 or above.”We’ve seen crowds. In general, they’ve been packed,” said Deb Barry, who oversees the city’s pools. “Capacity-wise, Prospect Lake is just hopping.”The National Weather Service said the city was sweltering from July 28 through today, when a cold front was expected and the longawaited monsoon rains could start.”Looks like we’re going to have chances of rain every afternoon and evening through the rest of the week,” weather service meteorologist Tom Magnuson said. “Highs should be in the mid-80s and lows around 60, so hopefully we’ll get some much-needed moisture.”Colorado Springs Utilities’ water system was cranking during the heat wave, as customers used 1.1 billion gallons from July 28 through Sunday. Usage set a record in July for the highest consumption at an estimated 4.33 billion gallons.It peaked on July 30 when the mercury hit 94 as residents used 158.4 million gallons .The city hasn’t set a record for peak power usage, but it came close late last week, utility officials said.Friday’s high of 99 broke the previous record of 96 degrees for the date set in 1963, and Saturday’s reading of 98 tied the record set more than 100 years ago, in 1902.Sunday followed up with a 95-degree reading, compared with the normal for that date of 84. This summer, temperatures measured at the Colorado Springs Airport weather station have been 90 or higher on seven days in June, 19 in July and the first four in August.The heat wave didn’t reach the all-time high in Colorado Springs of 101 set on June 6, 1874, but Magnuson said the temperature rarely hits 100 in Colorado Springs.It’s not rare to have the heat drive people to snap up fans, air conditioners and swamp coolers, several stores reported.Lowe’s and Home Depot stores reported brisk sales over the weekend, leaving them with a dwindling inventory on Monday.At Ace Hardware at the Bon Shopping Center, 2300 N. Wahsatch St., manager Chris Martin said the store sold nearly 50 fans and up to 25 evaporative coolers over the weekend.Barry said Prospect Lake had 700 visitors last week, compared with about 400 for the same week last year.”Prospect is less expensive, and I think more people are finding out about it,” she said, noting the lake in Memorial Park offers paddle boats, swimming, sand beaches and volleyball.Wilson Ranch pool in the Rockrimmon area has drawn capacity crowds of 350 almost daily, Barry said.”They’re put on a waiting list,” she said. “We accommodate the best we can to get them in that day.”

When Sarah Bartlett needs to cool off her kids, she takes them to one of the area fountains. Bartlett swings her daughter, Ellanore Bartlett, over the fountain jet at 1st and Main St. on Monday, August 4, 2008. Photo by The Gazette, Jerilee Bennett

Jerilee Bennett