Dallas Heat Wave 2018 (Houston, Abilene, West: bus, garages, rating)

[jencam]

Originally Posted by hbdwihdh378y9

I prefer the low humidity here to the high humidity on the East Coast, being here is a God-send really, but it can be too much. It was for much of 2011 and perhaps a bit of 2012 and 2013 and again this year. Does anyone remember 2002 and 2003? Like one 100-degree day each summer?

Funny how you see it as low and I see it as high. I have the dry Arizona desert to compare to rather than the East Coast.

[Dallaz]

I find it odd that people consider Dallas to be “dry”.

Drought conditions (which we are currently in) do make the humdity much lower because there’s not much soil mosture. But in non-drought conditions, Dallas isn’t dry. If we had adequate rainfall leading up to summer, the humdity would be much higher. Last year was a prime example of that. We got a lot of rainfall and it was super humid.

[justsomeguy]

Originally Posted by Dallaz

I find it odd that people consider Dallas to be “dry”.

Drought conditions (which we are currently in) do make the humdity much lower because there’s not much soil mosture. But in non-drought conditions, Dallas isn’t dry. If we had adequate rainfall leading up to summer, the humdity would be much higher. Last year was a prime example of that. We got a lot of rainfall and it was super humid.

I knew I wasn't crazy when I was complaining about the heat last summer and everyone told me it was a mild summer....

[Dallaz]

Originally Posted by justsomeguy

I knew I wasn't crazy when I was complaining about the heat last summer and everyone told me it was a mild summer....

It was a mild summer in terms of temperature but the humidity was high. We got a lot of rain and wasn’t in severe drought status like we are now. When there’s moisture in the soil, that contributes to the humdity. Last year, we didn’t see a lot of actual 100 degree temps. We seen a lot of days where the humdity made it feel like 108 or 110 (with an actual temp of 98 or 99 degrees).

[justsomeguy]

Originally Posted by Dallaz

It was a mild summer in terms of temperature but the humidity was high. We got a lot of rain and wasn’t in severe drought status like we are now. When there’s moisture in the soil, that contributes to the humdity. Last year, we didn’t see a lot of actual 100 degree temps. We seen a lot of days where the humdity made it feel like 108 or 110 (with an actual temp of 98 or 99 degrees).

So my point being, since the humidity was higher, it felt hotter, and I was right to complain about the heat.

[Dallaz]

Originally Posted by justsomeguy

So my point being, since the humidity was higher, it felt hotter, and I was right to complain about the heat.

Technically, yes. LOL

But to me it felt milder as well because I’m use to it being much hotter. It was hot, if you weren’t use to it.

[Treasurevalley92]

Originally Posted by Dallaz

I find it odd that people consider Dallas to be “dry”.

Drought conditions (which we are currently in) do make the humdity much lower because there’s not much soil mosture. But in non-drought conditions, Dallas isn’t dry. If we had adequate rainfall leading up to summer, the humdity would be much higher. Last year was a prime example of that. We got a lot of rainfall and it was super humid.

Yeah, I don't see how anyone could think Dallas is dry. It isn't the most humid place in the country, but it isn't dry either, not by a long shot.

If you look at the National average for Humidity and Rain, Dallas is just above average for both. Add in that it is quite a bit higher than the national average on heat, and what you get is a place that is 10-15 degrees warmer than other places with similar humidity.

To compare with places out west, today, Dallas is about 52% humidity right now. That will drop to about 30% ish during the hottest dryest part of the day. Compare that to SLC or Boise (Denver is currently getting rain so not a good comparison there) where The morning humidity for today is upper 20% and lower 30%. This will drop into the low teens when Dallas is just dropping into their morning highs.

I mean yeah, Minneapolis, Nashville, Indianapolis etc are all projected to have higher humidity than Dallas today, but non of them are going to reach 90 degrees either. In fact the twin cities and Indianapolis wont even hit 80.

Plus we are looking at Dallas in the summer when it is the most dry. Once fall rolls around Dallas gets much more humid and muggy which is why those days in the 80s in fall and spring can be kinda rough.

[cBach]

Originally Posted by GoldenHair

About 2 decades ago, I moved from Buffalo NY to here. Regarding the heat: You do not have to shovel heat!! To this day, I blame my poor back on shoveling snow. Blizzard of 1977, 4 feet of wet heavy snow outside my front door in a day and a half. I'll take heat over cold and snow anytime. Besides, Phoenix is most always ten to fifteen degrees more than it is here.

Yeah they'll say "but it's a dry heat" but the fact is that it's much hotter in Phoenix.

Even the other day, I was on a call. Austin set the record for the highest temp ever recorded in July which was 110. One of the guys I work with lives in Las Vegas and he said "Oh that's nothing, today's 112 and that's a cooler day."

An extraordinarily hot day in Austin is a "normal" day in Las Vegas. Yes I know it's more humid here, but in Vegas and Phoenix they have to put cushions on handles when you enter restaurants as the handle can actually burn you if it's in the sun. Same for the pool. They put cushions around the metal ladders so it won't burn you. It's a whole 'nother level of heat there.

[GoldenHair]

^^^ … I agree with everything you said. Furthermore, a "Dry Heat" can often be more dangerous than a humid heat. Since the humidity is so low you never get to feel your own sweat as it evaporates so fast. You dehydrate quickly and never even know it. Ten years ago my company sent me to Phoenix for a week at a job site at the end of July. The fellas at the job site forced me to drink at least 1/2 a cup of water every 10 minutes or so, even when I told them I didn't feel thirsty. Looking back, I am glad they forced me to drink.

Still … as I said, I would take heat over cold and snow and having to shovel it any day.

[Treasurevalley92]

Originally Posted by cBach

Yeah they'll say "but it's a dry heat" but the fact is that it's much hotter in Phoenix.

Even the other day, I was on a call. Austin set the record for the highest temp ever recorded in July which was 110. One of the guys I work with lives in Las Vegas and he said "Oh that's nothing, today's 112 and that's a cooler day."

An extraordinarily hot day in Austin is a "normal" day in Las Vegas. Yes I know it's more humid here, but in Vegas and Phoenix they have to put cushions on handles when you enter restaurants as the handle can actually burn you if it's in the sun. Same for the pool. They put cushions around the metal ladders so it won't burn you. It's a whole 'nother level of heat there.

Yes, but the differences is if you are in the shade and it's dry it feels ok, but if it's humid it's still awful. Wearing long sleeves and a hat helps when it's dry. When it is humid it just sticks to you.