Is the heat bearable? (Dallas, Austin: fit in, scorpions, living)

[Xammy]

Originally Posted by stan4

Well, as you can see, you have your johnhws and your BigDGeeks.
Total opposite ends of the spectrum. People are different and quite obviously have different tolerances.
Some of us are outside every day of the year (hot or cold) and some people are indeed special snowflakes.

First of all, *everything* is air conditioned to the hilt.
The joke is that you have to carry a sweater around in the summer so that you don't freeze to death indoors bc of how much people have their ac on so high.

It used to be more humid, but we've been in a relative drought until recently, and it's still much less humid here than, say, Houston, Austin, Florida, etc.

Overall, there are very few days in DFW with totally uncomfortable weather (hot or cold).

I am indeed, a special snowflake! haha I think the Netherlands may have prepared me a bit, we have to carry things around with us too, because you never know when certain weather will hit, like umbrellas! :P

[whj3773]

imo, the heat isnt the main problem, its the humidity which can be bearable some summer days and unbearable other days. As long as the dew point can stay under 67ish its much more tolerable, anything in the 70s....miserable.

[hbdwihdh378y9]

Originally Posted by BigDGeek

If you think Dutch summers are gross, you're going to suffer in summer here. (30C=86F). 30C, even at high humidity, is child's play compared to what you can see in July and August here. So far we haven't 100F (roughly 38C) officially yet, but it's coming. Based on the time I've spent in southern France, it is more humid here than it is there.

(During a heat wave, 30C can be the low temperature of the day.)

I believe that happened for the first and only time in 2011.

And I've only been to the South of France once for a few syas, so I can't compare the summer weather, but the humidity isn't bad here. If you've ever visited the US and been anywhere along the east coast or Gulf Coast from New York to Corpus Christi, the humidity in Dallas is much lower than any of those areas. It's a dry heat -- not like Phoenix, but dry,

[JTC Mom]

For me the keys to making the heat bearable (in addition to AC, which is ubiquitous), without being permanently trapped indoors are:

1. Wear clothing made from moisture wicking fabric. There are SO MANY choices now.
2. Drink lots of water
3. Wear a hat in the sun
4. Stay in the shade as much as possible

When we moved here a few years ago I worked from home and I walked to lunch every day, including summer, just to get out of the house. There is a fair amount of shade along my routes, which helped a lot. I would never suggest hanging out outside in a suit . But if you want to get outside in the summer it helps a lot to dress for the weather and drink a lot of water. You can do it! Good luck!

[deenie1]

Originally Posted by VegasMan_72

Everything in Texas (and all warm places in the US) is airconditioned. You do get used to it. I'm from Nevada which is hot but very dry. My wife and I couldn't even breathe the first summer we were in Dallas, it was too humid for us. My boss, who was from Houston, made a comment that it's all relative. Dallas was dry for him because he was from Houston. The second summer was a little better for us and by the third summer we were almost used to it. I travel to Houston very frequently and find the humidity there unbearable.
Electricity is expensive in Texas. It is a lot more expensive for us to keep our house cool compared to NV and CA.
Welcome to Dallas. You will like it.

We came from NJ so it seems a little humid on and off over the past couple of weeks but I remember it being drier last year. We came last year in July and, when I'm asked to describe it, I say it just feels like a windy oven or like when you're blow drying your hair. NJ can get very humid in the summer and it's oppressive. When it gets over 100 F here, it feels very dry to me and much more tolerable. I had to rearrange my outdoor schedule though and walk the dogs before 8 or 9 and again after dinner, sometimes as late as 10pm. I used to walk them in the late morning and after my kid's got out of school, around 3:30. No way I could do that now. They'd scald their paws on the street! Everything is air conditioned though and I much prefer heat over cold. I couldn't do it without AC but I certainly don't miss the snow . I also don't have to work out in the sun so it's not a big deal. I don't know how these roofers do it

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by stan4

Well, as you can see, you have your johnhws and your BigDGeeks.
Total opposite ends of the spectrum. People are different and quite obviously have different tolerances.
Some of us are outside every day of the year (hot or cold) and some people are indeed special snowflakes.

Not having a high tolerance for heat does not make someone a "special snowflake." It's a biological fact and it is immutable. It has nothing to do with attitude.

[Xammy]

I'm pretty sure I am a special snowflake, though. I sometimes have to stick my head out of the shower because the hot, wet air makes me feel like I can't breathe. I also can't drive in the car with the defrost blasting, I have a cool button on my hair dryer and I cannot, ever, sit in a sauna.

I just literally made an "Eek" face as I realized what this may mean for me if my husband does want us to move to Dallas.

(It means I'll be spending a lot of time indoors! Happily indoors, mind you, blissfully in the airco!)

Good notes on the dog walking as well... deenie1, I have two small dogs and we walk them at 9am - 5pm - 10pm, but we are generally awake at 5am, so walking them earlier would be a non issue

[TheOverdog]

I'm pretty sure I am a special snowflake, though. I sometimes have to stick my head out of the shower because the hot, wet air makes me feel like I can't breathe. I also can't drive in the car with the defrost blasting, I have a cool button on my hair dryer and I cannot, ever, sit in a sauna.

Yeah, if you have to do that, I'd avoid Dallas. You will be miserable for a solid 3 months a year.

[LeagleEagleDFW]

The heat remains awful no matter how long you live here. You simply avoid it. I haven't been outside in two months unless it was strictly necessary, or going from the car to a store or something similar.

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by Xammy

I'm pretty sure I am a special snowflake, though. I sometimes have to stick my head out of the shower because the hot, wet air makes me feel like I can't breathe. I also can't drive in the car with the defrost blasting, I have a cool button on my hair dryer and I cannot, ever, sit in a sauna.

You're not a snowflake, you just don't have a high tolerance for heat/humidity. Do you have asthma and if so, is it well controlled?