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I remember more than a few muggy days when I lived in L.A. Mainly when I was living in the Fairfax area. Still, it was nowhere near comparable to the East or Gulf coast... where the humidity is pretty much constantly 60% or higher throughout most of the year. Comparing Western humidity to Eastern is like comparing a stick of dynamite to Hiroshima.
Gave you a rep for that dynamite/Hiroshima line...Cracked me up lol
But it's just not true. LA has average dewpoints above 60F/15C for three whole months. It's nearly as humid as somewhere like Minneapolis, yet people act like it's Vegas.
You are forgetting the affect of a steady cool strong breeze. The Pacific off the coast of Cali is cold by East coast standards in the summer, and its "air-conditioning" affect is strong, the farther north you go up the the coast the stronger it is.
That's likely downtown LA, 12 miles to the coast, the temp is 10 degrees cooler.
We had a heat wave the last week here in western Washington. A couple of days it got into the low 90s. I sat out on my deck and was quite comfortable even with that heat.
Last year, I was in Florida and sat by the pool at a relative's house. It was around 90 and I felt like I had a lead weight on me. I had to go back inside to the AC after a short time because it was so oppressive because of the humidity. I never feel anything like that on the west coast, even in a heat wave.
We had a heat wave the last week here in western Washington. A couple of days it got into the low 90s. I sat out on my deck and was quite comfortable even with that heat.
Last year, I was in Florida and sat by the pool at a relative's house. It was around 90 and I felt like I had a lead weight on me. I had to go back inside to the AC after a short time because it was so oppressive because of the humidity. I never feel anything like that on the west coast, even in a heat wave.
So very true.
In Sacramento, just 2 days ago, dew points went "up" to 58-60, with 40% relative humidity. Everybody freaked out about how "muggy" it felt and that was with dew points at 58-60.
Thankfully, dew points have come down almost to normal, dew point 56, but just as important, it's been very comfortable with a strong breeze. But this is still considered "humid" for us, anywhere in Florida or Texas, it would be considered dry.
Like I said before, For 4 months straight in spring/summer/fall, at the warmest time of the day,
SACRAMENTO has near Perfect humidity levels, Neither Bone Dry like the Southwest, Nor sticky humid like much of the Midwest, South, Texas and Florida. Sacramento Averages Dew points of 52-55. Very comfortable.
In Sacramento, just 2 days ago, dew points went "up" to 58-60, with 40% relative humidity. Everybody freaked out about how "muggy" it felt and that was with dew points at 58-60.
Thankfully, dew points have come down almost to normal, dew point 56, but just as important, it's been very comfortable with a strong breeze. But this is still considered "humid" for us, anywhere in Florida or Texas, it would be considered dry.
Only the Eastern 3/4 of Texas. El Paso is significantly drier than Sacramento, as well as Midland-Odessa, and I would imagine Amarillo and Lubbock as well. I'll give you all of Florida though.
But it's just not true. LA has average dewpoints above 60F/15C for three whole months. It's nearly as humid as somewhere like Minneapolis, yet people act like it's Vegas.
You are forgetting the affect of a steady cool strong breeze. The Pacific off the coast of Cali is cold by East coast standards in the summer, and its "air-conditioning" affect is strong, the farther north you go up the the coast the stronger it is.
That's likely downtown LA, 12 miles to the coast, the temp is 10 degrees cooler.
Only the Eastern 3/4 of Texas. El Paso is significantly drier than Sacramento, as well as Midland-Odessa, and I would imagine Amarillo and Lubbock as well. I'll give you all of Florida though.
The only place that might be drier than Sacramento in Texas would be El Paso....regarding relative humidity and dew points. And I'm just taking your word for it on that one.
Often, Sacramento heat index temps are 3-5 degrees COOLER than Actual temps on average, the opposite for Austin or San Antonio.
A good rule of thumb.
For example,
When it's 95 in Sacramento it feels like 90 (heat index)
When it's 95 in Austin if feels like 100 (heat index)
But it's just not true. LA has average dewpoints above 60F/15C for three whole months. It's nearly as humid as somewhere like Minneapolis, yet people act like it's Vegas.
Minneapolis is really variable in the summer, it can get dry continental air from Canada with low dew points, or tropical levels of humidity when the flow straight from the gulf. The average doesn't fully capture how humid the Northeast or Midwest gets. The hot + humid combination is also less common the west coast, the places with the humidity levels (by the coast) also get cooler temperatures so it's not hot enough for the humidity to really irritate.
We had a heat wave the last week here in western Washington. A couple of days it got into the low 90s. I sat out on my deck and was quite comfortable even with that heat.
Last year, I was in Florida and sat by the pool at a relative's house. It was around 90 and I felt like I had a lead weight on me. I had to go back inside to the AC after a short time because it was so oppressive because of the humidity. I never feel anything like that on the west coast, even in a heat wave.
The most humid Seattle got this month during its heat waves was a dew point of 61°F. Early in the summer, when I was less used to heat and humidity, I would find that noticeably humid and maybe sweat a bit more if exercising out. It's fairly close to our average summer humidity, but as I said we're capable of much higher. Even dew points in the upper 50s is enough to notice the humidity just most won't find it uncomfortable.
It's not tropical heat & humidity, but it's not interior west levels either. For a month last year, we got Florida levels of humidity. This month has been humid, too. Look how much stickier it was here:
this was a decent summer month for us, with the average dew point 59°F (similar to southern California) but there were some very sticky days mixed in, and definitely much more humid than Seattle this July. The highest dew point was a memorable 77°F accompanied by drenching rain.
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