But just before Herzog uttered the word “electric”, the lights went outturning Herzog into a silhouette against the map of time.
“Looks like we just switched to generator power; Our lights just went out,” Herzog said before going on to talk about “excessive heat” in some Texas cities. Seconds later, the lights came back on.
But two hours later, it happened again. When Herzog warned of triple-digit heat in parts of Texas on the 5:00 pm broadcast, the lights went out.
“Maybe it’s just my electrifying personality, maybe it’s not,” Herzog said. tweeted after. “But this time I was fully expecting Ashton Kutcher to come around the corner and say, ‘You’ve been PUNKED!’ ”
But hey, the show must go on!
And to be clear, we’re not sure why the power went out temporarily in our building.
What I can tell you is that network conditions are getting *really* tough. Hopefully we can get through this with the lights and A/C ON!
-Travis Herzog (@TravisABC13) July 13, 2022
The wacky moments came as Texas is experiencing an unprecedented heat wave that is pushing the state power grid to its limits. Last week, Texas endured triple-digit temperatures in many cities, prompting state energy officials to request that residents conserve energy and raise their thermostats.
Concerns about power outages during extreme weather have left residents on edge, the Texas Tribune reported. In February 2021, 3.5 million Texans lost power amid a record cold snap, in which temperatures in some areas dropped to below freezing. More than 200 people died.
This month, it is the heat that has become dangerous. In Houston, where Herzog works, temperatures reached 105 degrees on Sunday, making it the the hottest July day in the history of the city. That day, College Station, north of Houston, reached 111 degrees, its second hottest day on record. San Antonio has reached at least 100 degrees in a record 35 days this year.
Neighboring states are also expected to experience dangerously high temperatures. Across the country, summers are getting hotter and longer thanks to climate change, leading to wildfires, droughts and floods, depending on the region, The Washington Post has reported. reported.
Herzog tweeted Wednesday that he didn’t know exactly why the lights went out twice during his broadcasts. He explained that the screen behind him and the other production crew are connected to a backup power source, and that’s why it didn’t go off the air.
“What I can tell you is that network conditions are getting *really* tough,” Herzog wrote. “Hopefully we can get through this with the lights and A/C ON!”
