Humidity???? (Houston, Dallas, Comfort: live, place, average)

[Jherbst]

How many months out of the year is it humid and hot in the Dallas area?

[aceplace]

Last summer was pretty cool for Dallas, and very green, so maybe it was more humid than usual...

A typical summer will have warm to hot temperatures beginning in mid-may and lasting until mid-september. This may is an exception... we're having cooler weather than usual... but the entire planet Earth has been having unusually cold weather in the last year... snow in Baghdad and in Buenos Aires...

Bear in mind that even in the summer, the humidity changes drastically during the day. The mornings will be in the 70s, with very high humidity, but about 4PM, when the air is the hottest, the humidity goes way down. If you are in the shade around 4 or 5, and there is a breeze, the experience can be... I won't say pleasant, but maybe comfortable.

During the day, I see people in an outdoor cafe up until 12:30PM or so... after that, it is time to go inside.

[Jherbst]

Does it rain a lot?

[rb4browns]

Originally Posted by Jherbst

How many months out of the year is it humid and hot in the Dallas area?

This was debated ad nauseum a couple months ago. It's more humid here than Phoenix, less so than Houston or New Orleans. I would do a google search to find statistical data, as opinions here vary wildly on how exactly "humid" is defined. I myslef having lived two years in Washington DC where the humidity is awful do not find it to be a bother here, although at 104 degrees on a summer day it's still plenty hot...

[rb4browns]

Originally Posted by Jherbst

Does it rain a lot?

Again, "rain a lot" is a subjective thing. There is official weather data available on the web which can help you. It rains here, not alot in my opinion, When it does rain it usually happens where a whole lot of rain falls and it's over with.

[rb4browns]

Originally Posted by aceplace

Last summer was pretty cool for Dallas, and very green, so maybe it was more humid than usual...

A typical summer will have warm to hot temperatures beginning in mid-may and lasting until mid-september. This may is an exception... we're having cooler weather than usual... but the entire planet Earth has been having unusually cold weather in the last year... snow in Baghdad and in Buenos Aires...

Damn global warming LOL....

[aceplace]

Originally Posted by rb4browns

Damn global warming LOL....

I'm really trying hard to keep my AGW opinions to myself, at least on this forum... but yeah, LOL.

[cdelena]

Originally Posted by rb4browns

...
I would do a google search to find statistical data, as opinions here vary wildly on how exactly "humid" is defined.
...

Relative humidity is a poor way to look at the comfort level... it simply measures the capability of the air mass to hold moisture and changes with temprature. The statistic to look at is dew point...

Dew Points
20+C (68F) Oppressive
18C (64F) Sticky
16C (61F) Humid
13C (55F) Comfortable
10C (50F) Refreshing

[Canine*Castle]

Originally Posted by cdelena

Relative humidity is a poor way to look at the comfort level... it simply measures the capability of the air mass to hold moisture and changes with temprature. The statistic to look at is dew point...

Dew Points
20+C (68F) Oppressive
18C (64F) Sticky
16C (61F) Humid
13C (55F) Comfortable
10C (50F) Refreshing

How true. If it's 96 degrees, a very common temperature in Dallas, with the humidity being 45% which seems low to some, the dew point would be over 71 which equals miserable.

[JChristina]

I've lived in Dallas for the past 15 years and moved here from south Mississippi. It is less humid here than south Mississippi. I think an average of 50%, depending on the weather. It is EXTREMELY hot here in the summer. You need an air conditioner unless you enjoy sweating. I think we are supposed to be in the high 80's to low 90's over the next few days. It normally ranges between 90 - 100+F (hottest part of the day) during July and August. Hope that helps.