How are Summers in Nashville? (Memphis, Cleveland: how much, buses, mold) - Tennessee (TN) - City-Data Forum

99percent · 02-01-2011, 02:57 PM

Hello all!

I am curious about the summers in Nashville. I have looked at the average temperatures, but that does not always tell the entire story.

So, in general how are the summers? How long is it, how much extreme heat, how is the humidity, is the entire summer miserable or just part of it?

I have never spent a summer in Nashville. I have spent summers in Cleveland, OH. The summers there are mild and nice with no humidity. I have also spent summers in Orlando, FL. The summers there were extreme, very humid with no relief and are very long (May-Oct). Are summers in Nashville as bad/humid/long as Orlando?

I would like a climate with a mild four seasons. I can tolerate extreme summers, but I can't handle long summers.

Thanks for any info

CountryGirl2b= · 02-01-2011, 03:42 PM

I just moved here last April (the weekend of the flood) and it was a long hot summer. Been told the flood was unusual, the long hot summer unusual, and the amount of snow we got this year was unusual. August is a hot month. No two ways about it. I believe that the average temps are in the mid 80's in the summer? It IS "moist" but the humidity didn't ever hit me like it did in Texas or even Hawaii. Although in Hawaii you pretend it isn't humid because it smells nice and, hey, it's HAWAII! I've been really pleased with the change of seasons here. I feel the same way, I want four seasons. Leaves change in the fall but you just need a sweater. I didn't need a 'winter coat' until the day after Thanksgiving. The winter has been wintery! Snow, cold, bundle up, wear gloves. The spring and early summer (June) it's glorious. The Bradford Pear trees bloom in April, I think, and are much like the Dogwood in New England. I have to take everyone's word that last summer was unusually long. And there's really no guarantee with weather is there?

OK, here is one weird thing. I have been in Florida in the summer. What bugs ME is that when you go to drink water out of the tap, it's lukewarm. Here in Nashville, the tap water is cool.

What does that mean? I have no clue. But I'd much rather be in TN than Florida, no matter how hot it is!

Lamplight · 02-01-2011, 03:56 PM

My tap water is usually lukewarm around July, and this past summer it was in late June. Personally, I find the summers here miserable and intolerable. It's the number one reason why I'm planning to leave. I'm usually completely miserable from late April (or earlier) until late October. Last summer was especially bad, but it's bad every year. Every single day I would compare our temperatures to various cities in Florida, and we were almost always hotter, but at night it would get cooler here. Officially our average high in July and August is something like 89 or 90. What that doesn't tell you is that our heat index is very often over 100, and this past summer it topped 110 several times. I specifically remember a couple of days in August when the heat index was just under 120. Of course, if your car has air conditioning and you're inside all the time, I suppose it wouldn't really matter much. I work in a warehouse with no AC and I've had it with this state. Hopefully I'll be gone before it gets really hot this year.

Kevin south of Nashville · 02-01-2011, 03:59 PM

The dead of summer is miserable if you are not used to the humidity. Fall is beautiful as you might expect, but spring, early summer, and late summer are fantastic. Winters are typically easy, with several weeks mostly in the high thirties/low forties. @CountryGirl2b= That’s a perfect description of this past year’s weather. Let’s hope its back to the “most temperate climate with all four seasons” here soon! Though tomorrow...

Mary_Moon · 02-01-2011, 04:14 PM

I've been in Orlando in the summer and in my opinion the humidity level is about the same as here. We were at Disney World October 2009 and Orlando was at 96* with 90% humidity and a heat index of 115*. It sucked, but it wasn't anything I hadn't felt in Nashville. An average summer here might see a week or 2 at those temps in late July/early August but humidity levels are fairly high all season long.

altereco · 02-01-2011, 07:34 PM

You know, I was wondering why Nashville has resisted mass transit but then I got to thinking about the humid summer that i experienced last year and realized that a person waiting for a bus during August in Nashville is likely to fry like an egg until the bus comes along! Is it any wonder that people prefer to drive in their air-conditioned cars? It makes sense.
The heat is horrible and will hit you like a brick wall and the humidity is ten times worse. Mold is a major problem.
The spring and fall is lovely and the rain-soaked winters don't seem very long or harsh but I'm not sure I can survive another hot sweaty summer here.

GWoodle · 02-01-2011, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by altereco

You know, I was wondering why Nashville has resisted mass transit but then I got to thinking about the humid summer that i experienced last year and realized that a person waiting for a bus during August in Nashville is likely to fry like an egg until the bus comes along! Is it any wonder that people prefer to drive in their air-conditioned cars? It makes sense.
The heat is horrible and will hit you like a brick wall and the humidity is ten times worse. Mold is a major problem.
The spring and fall is lovely and the rain-soaked winters don't seem very long or harsh but I'm not sure I can survive another hot sweaty summer here.

The trick to riding the bus in Nashville is to be sure to know the schedule so you don't just miss one & have to wait 20-40 minutes. I hope we get some new buses soon to replace the flood damaged units.

Some summers are hot from June thru august. THis yhear we may get a hurricane in July? June Fan Fair is usually hot & steamy.

Antioch · 02-02-2011, 09:16 AM

I would not compare summer of 2010 to any other summer because it was unsually hot across much of the eastern half of the nation. The entire 2010 was extreem with the weather, looks like 2011 is starting out to be the same way.Summer of 2009 was acutally below normal in temps, especially in July. Nashville summers are hot, typically from mid June-mid to late August. Many people exagerate with the humidity levels, or heat index. On a typical summer the heat index is not 100+ for the entire summer or extended periods of time. The extreems of summer where the heat index is 100+ usually is in August lasting for 1 to 3 weeks, give or take a few depending on the year. Outside of the dead of summer the temps are usually anywhere between 85-92 for highs and 65-70 for lows, heat index running about 5-10 degrees hotter, while some days it is low humidity. Just take a drive 3 hours southwest of Nashville to Memphis you will start to notice a hudge differnce in summer temps, Memphis is generally much hotter and more humid than Nashville. Even cities such as St. Louis and Kansas City, MO, tend to have hotter temps, more extreem, than we do in Nashville.

DonCorleone · 02-02-2011, 09:35 AM

Amen, Antioch. Late summer stinks here (late July-August) no doubt, but it isn't like you can get a lot of relief anywhere nearby. I've been to Cincinnati for baseball games in late July and roasted just the same as I would have if I were outside in Nashville.

Antioch · 02-02-2011, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DonCorleone

Amen, Antioch. Late summer stinks here (late July-August) no doubt, but it isn't like you can get a lot of relief anywhere nearby. I've been to Cincinnati for baseball games in late July and roasted just the same as I would have if I were outside in Nashville.

Exactally!!! Summer is summer in the US. it is sopossed to be HOT! Unless you are in extreem northern areas.