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As many have said, what you grew up with is "normal". If you didn't grow up with this, it takes some getting used to. In Pennsylvania, the grass is green, albeit muted, all winter long. I'm always awed when we go back at how thick the woods are, thicker even than in the midwest and how lush the greens are. We can all learn to like a lot of different things, and take the good (lack of oppressive humidity) along with the not so good (dry, brown, drab colors).
Oppressive humidity is found more frequently in southern areas of the US east of the Rockies. Humidity levels in many areas of the northern tier or northern Great Lakes region are very moderate due to much lower average Summer high temperatures, generally in the 70s. Humidity isn't a factor with drier air and lows in the 40s and 50s in this area.
As many have said, what you grew up with is "normal". If you didn't grow up with this, it takes some getting used to. In Pennsylvania, the grass is green, albeit muted, all winter long. I'm always awed when we go back at how thick the woods are, thicker even than in the midwest and how lush the greens are. We can all learn to like a lot of different things, and take the good (lack of oppressive humidity) along with the not so good (dry, brown, drab colors).
Hmm, it doesn't stay green once the winter gets cold here, I think the ground freezes kills off any green. Of course, it's as often white rather than brown. This is early April from last year, hint of green but most grass had turned brown:
Oppressive humidity is found more frequently in southern areas of the US east of the Rockies. Humidity levels in many areas of the northern tier or northern Great Lakes region are very moderate due to much lower average Summer high temperatures, generally in the 70s. Humidity isn't a factor with drier air and lows in the 40s and 50s in this area.
Really? Sorry to sound snarky, but I am not naive.
And it's more humid in southern locations because the air can hold more water at a higher temp. OTOH, Minneapolis is known for its high humidity in the summer, as are many upper midwestern cities, such as Chicago, and Omaha (though Omaha isn't quite so "upper"). Pittsburgh is a famously humid city.
Most of the cities you reference have highs in the 80s, with many days in the 90s in the summer.
Minneapolis: https://weatherspark.com/averages/30...-United-States "Minneapolis, Minnesota has a humid continental climate with hot summers and no dry season. ... Over the course of a year, the temperature typically varies from 7°F to 83°F and is rarely below -11°F or above 92°F. ... The relative humidity typically ranges from 38% (comfortable) to 89% (very humid) over the course of the year, rarely dropping below 21% (dry) and reaching as high as 99% (very humid).
The air is driest around April 26, at which time the relative humidity drops below 46% (comfortable) three days out of four; it is most humid around August 21, exceeding 84% (humid) three days out of four."
Chicago: https://weatherspark.com/averages/30...-United-States "Chicago, Illinois has a humid continental climate with hot summers and no dry season. ... Over the course of a year, the temperature typically varies from 17°F to 84°F and is rarely below -0°F or above 93°F. ... The relative humidity typically ranges from 44% (comfortable) to 91% (very humid) over the course of the year, rarely dropping below 25% (dry) and reaching as high as 100% (very humid).
The air is driest around May 3, at which time the relative humidity drops below 53% (mildly humid) three days out of four; it is most humid around August 13, exceeding 84% (humid) three days out of four."
Omaha: https://weatherspark.com/averages/31...-United-States "Omaha, Nebraska has a humid continental climate with hot summers and no dry season. ... Over the course of a year, the temperature typically varies from 13°F to 88°F and is rarely below -4°F or above 96°F. ... The relative humidity typically ranges from 40% (comfortable) to 92% (very humid) over the course of the year, rarely dropping below 22% (dry) and reaching as high as 100% (very humid).
The air is driest around April 7, at which time the relative humidity drops below 50% (mildly humid) three days out of four; it is most humid around August 12, exceeding 89% (very humid) three days out of four."
Pittsburgh: https://weatherspark.com/averages/29...-United-States "West Mifflin (Pittsburgh), Pennsylvania has a humid continental climate with hot summers and no dry season. ... Over the course of a year, the temperature typically varies from 21°F to 83°F and is rarely below 6°F or above 90°F. ...The relative humidity typically ranges from 39% (comfortable) to 92% (very humid) over the course of the year, rarely dropping below 21% (dry) and reaching as high as 100% (very humid).
The air is driest around April 20, at which time the relative humidity drops below 48% (comfortable) three days out of four; it is most humid around September 22, exceeding 88% (very humid) three days out of four."
Let's look at Buffalo, on L. Erie: https://weatherspark.com/averages/29...-United-States "Buffalo, New York has a humid continental climate with warm summers and no dry season. ... Over the course of a year, the temperature typically varies from 18°F to 80°F and is rarely below 3°F or above 87°F. ... The relative humidity typically ranges from 43% (comfortable) to 92% (very humid) over the course of the year, rarely dropping below 25% (dry) and reaching as high as 100% (very humid).
The air is driest around May 4, at which time the relative humidity drops below 55% (mildly humid) three days out of four; it is most humid around September 19, exceeding 88% (very humid) three days out of four."
Milwaukee, on L. Michigan: https://weatherspark.com/averages/30...-United-States "Milwaukee, Wisconsin has a humid continental climate with hot summers and no dry season. ... Over the course of a year, the temperature typically varies from 15°F to 80°F and is rarely below -2°F or above 90°F. ... The air is driest around May 2, at which time the relative humidity drops below 59% (mildly humid) three days out of four; it is most humid around August 17, exceeding 86% (very humid) three days out of four. "
The traditional dividing line between the humid east and the arid west is the 100th Meridian. Of course, it's not really hard and fast, it's a gradual thing.
Hmm, it doesn't stay green once the winter gets cold here, I think the ground freezes kills off any green. Of course, it's as often white rather than brown. This is early April from last year, hint of green but most grass had turned brown:
I don't have the computer skills you have with posting pictures, and I haven't been there in a while in the dead of winter. However, I have seen it look pretty green on Google earth in shots where there are no leaves on the trees (generally after Nov.1), also in pictures my friends post on FB. Unfortunately, for this conversation, the most recent Google earth shots are in summer.
For that matter, I noted today when I went out to get the paper, that my front yard, which faces directly south and gets a lot of sunshine in the winter, still has a tinge of green here in Louisville, CO.
Really? Sorry to sound snarky, but I am not naive.
And it's more humid in southern locations because the air can hold more water at a higher temp. OTOH, Minneapolis is known for its high humidity in the summer, as are many upper midwestern cities, such as Chicago, and Omaha (though Omaha isn't quite so "upper"). Pittsburgh is a famously humid city.
Most of the cities you reference have highs in the 80s, with many days in the 90s in the summer.
Never knew it had that reputation. Summers seem about the same as the rest of the Northeast, a bit cooler and less sticky than Philadelphia or New York City, a bit stickier than most New England. It does have a reputation for being cloudy, which it deserves. Most of the humidity in the east comes from the Gulf of Mexico (and of course the Atlantic but weather goes from west to east). If the airflow is coming from the north in the summer, the humidity is relatively low and skies are clearer. Of course it's humid, but it's not constant, maybe one-third of the time it isn't, another one-third it's steamy. DC the humidity is more constant, up here less. Low humidity day in New York City late summer. There was a north wind:
going up the Hudson...
Spoiler
Humidity slowly built up again after a few days, but the weather switches depending on airmass from sticky to not so sticky. High humidity and haze sunset
Half a week later in New Hampshire with the humidity stagnant:
next day humid with thunderstorms:
A rather strong thunderstorm just missed me. A lot of heavy rain dumped and some lightning. If it were Colorado, I'd guess the thunderstorm would have less rain and more lightning, and being up in the mountains would be dangerous, I could watch on my phone radar the storm getting weaker as it approached. Humidity gone the next morning, though the afternoon temperatures weren't much cooler
some afternoon cumulus but not much humidity (dewpoints just under 50°F, same as the NYC photos)
Nice pictures! I would suggest you go to Pittsburgh, say around August 1 to experience the humidity. Even as a kid, when it was my hometown and I didn't know any better, I thought it was humid as did virtually everyone else who lived there.
I don't have the computer skills you have with posting pictures, and I haven't been there in a while in the dead of winter. However, I have seen it look pretty green on Google earth in shots where there are no leaves on the trees (generally after Nov.1), also in pictures my friends post on FB. Unfortunately, for this conversation, the most recent Google earth shots are in summer.
On Long Island, with milder winters (closer to Pittsburgh) than here it's more often a dull, muted green rather than completely brown. Though it can turn brown in cold spells. Green grass here mid-November
Central Park, late December. Though it was an unusually mild December this year
Really? Sorry to sound snarky, but I am not naive.
And it's more humid in southern locations because the air can hold more water at a higher temp. OTOH, Minneapolis is known for its high humidity in the summer, as are many upper midwestern cities, such as Chicago, and Omaha (though Omaha isn't quite so "upper"). Pittsburgh is a famously humid city.
Most of the cities you reference have highs in the 80s, with many days in the 90s in the summer.
Minneapolis: https://weatherspark.com/averages/30...-United-States "Minneapolis, Minnesota has a humid continental climate with hot summers and no dry season. ... Over the course of a year, the temperature typically varies from 7°F to 83°F and is rarely below -11°F or above 92°F. ... The relative humidity typically ranges from 38% (comfortable) to 89% (very humid) over the course of the year, rarely dropping below 21% (dry) and reaching as high as 99% (very humid).
The air is driest around April 26, at which time the relative humidity drops below 46% (comfortable) three days out of four; it is most humid around August 21, exceeding 84% (humid) three days out of four."
Chicago: https://weatherspark.com/averages/30...-United-States "Chicago, Illinois has a humid continental climate with hot summers and no dry season. ... Over the course of a year, the temperature typically varies from 17°F to 84°F and is rarely below -0°F or above 93°F. ... The relative humidity typically ranges from 44% (comfortable) to 91% (very humid) over the course of the year, rarely dropping below 25% (dry) and reaching as high as 100% (very humid).
The air is driest around May 3, at which time the relative humidity drops below 53% (mildly humid) three days out of four; it is most humid around August 13, exceeding 84% (humid) three days out of four."
Omaha: https://weatherspark.com/averages/31...-United-States "Omaha, Nebraska has a humid continental climate with hot summers and no dry season. ... Over the course of a year, the temperature typically varies from 13°F to 88°F and is rarely below -4°F or above 96°F. ... The relative humidity typically ranges from 40% (comfortable) to 92% (very humid) over the course of the year, rarely dropping below 22% (dry) and reaching as high as 100% (very humid).
The air is driest around April 7, at which time the relative humidity drops below 50% (mildly humid) three days out of four; it is most humid around August 12, exceeding 89% (very humid) three days out of four."
Pittsburgh: https://weatherspark.com/averages/29...-United-States "West Mifflin (Pittsburgh), Pennsylvania has a humid continental climate with hot summers and no dry season. ... Over the course of a year, the temperature typically varies from 21°F to 83°F and is rarely below 6°F or above 90°F. ...The relative humidity typically ranges from 39% (comfortable) to 92% (very humid) over the course of the year, rarely dropping below 21% (dry) and reaching as high as 100% (very humid).
The air is driest around April 20, at which time the relative humidity drops below 48% (comfortable) three days out of four; it is most humid around September 22, exceeding 88% (very humid) three days out of four."
Let's look at Buffalo, on L. Erie: https://weatherspark.com/averages/29...-United-States "Buffalo, New York has a humid continental climate with warm summers and no dry season. ... Over the course of a year, the temperature typically varies from 18°F to 80°F and is rarely below 3°F or above 87°F. ... The relative humidity typically ranges from 43% (comfortable) to 92% (very humid) over the course of the year, rarely dropping below 25% (dry) and reaching as high as 100% (very humid).
The air is driest around May 4, at which time the relative humidity drops below 55% (mildly humid) three days out of four; it is most humid around September 19, exceeding 88% (very humid) three days out of four."
Milwaukee, on L. Michigan: https://weatherspark.com/averages/30...-United-States "Milwaukee, Wisconsin has a humid continental climate with hot summers and no dry season. ... Over the course of a year, the temperature typically varies from 15°F to 80°F and is rarely below -2°F or above 90°F. ... The air is driest around May 2, at which time the relative humidity drops below 59% (mildly humid) three days out of four; it is most humid around August 17, exceeding 86% (very humid) three days out of four. "
The traditional dividing line between the humid east and the arid west is the 100th Meridian. Of course, it's not really hard and fast, it's a gradual thing.
Yes, I do realize that is the case. In terms of average Summer temperatures, I think Duluth, MN and Marquette, MI are both cooler than any of those cities, with interior areas having low temperatures in Summer that can reach within a few degrees of freezing. My idea of bad Summer humidity would be any location that consistently has low temperatures above 70F at night. Pittsburgh, PA metro area humidity is nearly a walk in the park compared to Kansas City, MO/KS metro area where I grew up. The worst heat/humidity combination I have ever experienced occurred there. Try a 110F air temperature with a Dewpoint of 82F. That made the heat index feel closer to 125F in the shade. I've avoided heat like the plague for years ever since then.
^^The average low in Duluth on June 15 is 52. It's 62 on August 2; 53 on Sept. 15, basically the summer months. Reports of freezing weather in Duluth in the summer are greatly exaggerated. https://weatherspark.com/averages/30...-United-States
Weatherspark doesn't have Marquette, so here is a different link: http://www.usclimatedata.com/climate...tates/usmi0525
As you can see, the average lows in June, July and August are 51, 59 and 59. Again I'd say, reports of freezing weather in Marquette in the summer are greatly exaggerated.
I've been in Omaha in the summer. It's hot and humid. I lived in Champaign, IL for 7 years, lat. 40 degrees north. KC's latitude is 39 degrees north. It's hot there; it's humid. You can see the steam rising from the corn fields. I used to say you could give the weather forecasters the summer off there because the forecast, just about every day is: hazy, hot, humid with highs in the upper 80s to lower 90s, with a 25% chance of rain.
Somehow, I doubt you've experienced Pittsburgh's humidity.
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