NC Humidity (Greensboro, Fayetteville, Wilmington: home, live, areas)

[Roger Davis]

I keep reading on this board about the high humidity in the Piedmont area of NC. I would like to know what the locals consider high humidity. For instance right now as I am typing, in central NJ the temperature is 35 degrees and the humidity is 62% at the same time the temperature in Greensboro NC is 34 degrees and the humidity is 39%.
Compared to NJ, NC seems to be less humid. I think if I can stand 62% then 39% will feel like AZ to me.

[melkat]

I am from Rochester NY and lived in CT for 8 years and IMO it is more humid there than it is here in the summer. BUT in the summers back home the kids can play outside all day..here we come in at about 10 am because it is just way too hot.

I wouldn't judge the humiditly right now though..it is just about winter LOL!

[BigHouse9]

I don't think the humidity is worse in NC than in CT either. But I do agree that you cannot go out during those few months in Summer since it is so hot!

[friendnc]

It can get a bit humid here in the summers, but it's not brutal at all. If you want to know "bad" humidity, spend the summer in Wilmington, Orlando, New Orleans, or Houston.

[south.charlotte&union]

Originally Posted by melkat

I am from Rochester NY and lived in CT for 8 years and IMO it is more humid there than it is here in the summer. BUT in the summers back home the kids can play outside all day..here we come in at about 10 am because it is just way too hot.

I wouldn't judge the humiditly right now though..it is just about winter LOL!

On the flip side, they can play outside almost all winter

[mm34b]

The average relative humidity does not vary greatly from season to season but is generally the highest in winter and lowest in spring. The lowest relative humidities are found over the southern Piedmont, where the year around average is about 65 percent. The highest are along the immediate coast, averaging around 75 percent. The least amount of actual moisture is found in the higher mountain areas, but the lower temperatures there result in relative humidities that are about the same as elsewhere in the State.

The most important single influence contributing to the variability of North Carolina climate is altitude. In all seasons of the year, the average temperature varies more than 20° Fahrenheit from the lower coast to the highest elevations. The average annual temperature at Southport on the lower coast is nearly as high as that of interior northern Florida, while the average on the summit of Mount Mitchell is lower than that of Buffalo, NY. The warmest days are found in the interior rather than near the coast in summer. The average daily maximum temperature at midsummer exceeds 92° F at Goldsboro and Fayetteville, for example, while on the southernmost part of the coast during the same season it is only 89° F. The mid-July average afternoon high temperature atop Mount Mitchell is only 68° F, while over widely populated areas in the Mountain Division the figure is around 80° F.

National Weather Service

[NCHomeFinder]

Originally Posted by friendnc

It can get a bit humid here in the summers, but it's not brutal at all. If you want to know "bad" humidity, spend the summer in Wilmington, Orlando, New Orleans, or Houston.

haha! Being from Florida, I still chuckle when people complain about the humidity here. Try anywhere in central Florida at 4:00 in the afternoon after a 10 minute thunderstorm... Yes, the summers are hot here, but it's not constant. We'll get a week of brutal heat, then it breaks. I've also found that the lower humidity actually makes the cold weather feel milder. In Tampa, I would be bundled up if it dropped below 80, but here I'm in t-shirts when it is in the 60s.
If you're from the desert, though, it will probably seem humid to you, so I guess it's all relative.

[ColdCanadian]

Originally Posted by friendnc

It can get a bit humid here in the summers, but it's not brutal at all. If you want to know "bad" humidity, spend the summer in Wilmington, Orlando, New Orleans, or Houston.

Funny, but I've never experienced "bad" humidity even though I spent about 100 late August days over a period of 10 years in Myrtle Beach, SC. The hottest it's been there was 98 F and at most, 55% humidity. (whatever heat index that is)

Anyways I've seen the heat index at 105-110 F many days and I've still never experienced "bad" humidity; just "good" humidity.

Maybe I'll never understand?

[anonymous]

I personally would not describe Greensboro as humid. It's hilly, almost mountainous. The closer you get to the coast, the more humid it will become. I suppose if you're coming from out west, it would feel humid. I'm not sure about New Jersey though.

Also, it's probably not worthwhile to compare humidity rates in December. When people talk about humidity, they are usually thinking between May and August, when it has the strongest effect.

[Bethanytedder]

I couldn't begin to tell you in numbers what the humidity actually is but here around where I am we have the numbers at hot as hell, hotter than hell, and hell on earth. Summers are horrible if you are not accustomed to it and if you have respirtory problems it can be bad even if you are a native like I am. Just wait until July and August if it takes that long.