Question about humidity in Springfield area.

[GetmeoutofAR]

Its extremely humid anywhere in MO during the summer

[northbound74]

Originally Posted by GetmeoutofAR

Its extremely humid anywhere in MO during the summer

True, but strangely enough, I notice a slight difference between Springfield, and KC.

[DaninEGF]

Hi

I worked for 4 years at the National Weather Service in Springfield before moving up north to ND/MN. But as a meteorologist, let me give me my thoughts.

When talking about relative humidity (given in percent) you must use caution. RH is basically the difference between the air temperature and the dew point temperature. The dew point temperature is the temp at which condensation occurs (i.e. RH at 100 pct). So the dew point temperature is the true measure of how much moisture the air can hold. The lower the dew point temperature the less moisture the airmass can hold and the higher the number the more moisture (water droplets) the airmass can hold.

As an example....say you wake up in the morning and the air temperature is 55F and the dew point is 52F. The relative humidity is 90 pct. You often will get some dew to form at this RH level as the moisture in the airmass is being condensed to form water droplets. But 52F is low enough so that the airmass cannot hold a lot of moisture and thus although the RH is high you dont feel "humid" or muggy when outside.

Fast forward to that afternoon....the 3 pm temperature is 87F and the dew point has climbed up to 70F. The RH value is 57 pct....but most people when outside will say it is humid or muggy as the airmass at 70 can hold much more moisture. Thus the air will feel heavy due to increased moisture in the air.

So using just the RH one would look and say it was humid in the morning but not in the afternoon....when in fact the opposite was occurring.

So when thinking about how humid it is or muggy in the summer time look at the dew pt temperature. Many people will feel humid with a dew point of 65F or higher and most everyone will feel the humidity with a dew point of 72F or higher.


As for dew points and "humid-muggy" areas of Missouri. Yes the Springfield area ontop of the Ozark plateau doesnt see nearly the high dew points and high temperatures as lower elevation areas to the west and north. Often I have seen the heat axis run up from cntrl TX toward Tulsa and Ponca City and then northeast toward Joplin-Chanute then toward K.C. I think the Missouri river valley and lower elevation along with the green crops add to the increased dew points and overall worse humid conditions often felt from K.C. east to STL. K.C. and STL does definitely see higher temps and higher dew pts in the summertime than SGF. I personally wouldnt consider Springfield a terribly humid place as compared to many areas around it. It is one tolerable spot.

I hope this helps....

Dan

[johnbroady]

Say, that is a great way for me to think about it.

I will hopefully visit there sometime and see if it's tolerable.

John

[northbound74]

Originally Posted by DaninEGF

Hi

I worked for 4 years at the National Weather Service in Springfield before moving up north to ND/MN. But as a meteorologist, let me give me my thoughts.

When talking about relative humidity (given in percent) you must use caution. RH is basically the difference between the air temperature and the dew point temperature. The dew point temperature is the temp at which condensation occurs (i.e. RH at 100 pct). So the dew point temperature is the true measure of how much moisture the air can hold. The lower the dew point temperature the less moisture the airmass can hold and the higher the number the more moisture (water droplets) the airmass can hold.

As an example....say you wake up in the morning and the air temperature is 55F and the dew point is 52F. The relative humidity is 90 pct. You often will get some dew to form at this RH level as the moisture in the airmass is being condensed to form water droplets. But 52F is low enough so that the airmass cannot hold a lot of moisture and thus although the RH is high you dont feel "humid" or muggy when outside.

Fast forward to that afternoon....the 3 pm temperature is 87F and the dew point has climbed up to 70F. The RH value is 57 pct....but most people when outside will say it is humid or muggy as the airmass at 70 can hold much more moisture. Thus the air will feel heavy due to increased moisture in the air.

So using just the RH one would look and say it was humid in the morning but not in the afternoon....when in fact the opposite was occurring.

So when thinking about how humid it is or muggy in the summer time look at the dew pt temperature. Many people will feel humid with a dew point of 65F or higher and most everyone will feel the humidity with a dew point of 72F or higher.


As for dew points and "humid-muggy" areas of Missouri. Yes the Springfield area ontop of the Ozark plateau doesnt see nearly the high dew points and high temperatures as lower elevation areas to the west and north. Often I have seen the heat axis run up from cntrl TX toward Tulsa and Ponca City and then northeast toward Joplin-Chanute then toward K.C. I think the Missouri river valley and lower elevation along with the green crops add to the increased dew points and overall worse humid conditions often felt from K.C. east to STL. K.C. and STL does definitely see higher temps and higher dew pts in the summertime than SGF. I personally wouldnt consider Springfield a terribly humid place as compared to many areas around it. It is one tolerable spot.

I hope this helps....

Dan

Wow. Thank you.
I knew there was something to it, but didn't know what, exactly. All I know, is when I go to Ava, it's a little more comfortable. I was beginning to think it was just my mother-in-law's ability to keep a nice house.

[NOLA2SGF]

Originally Posted by johnbroady

Say, that is a great way for me to think about it.

I will hopefully visit there sometime and see if it's tolerable.

John

That is a really good idea. We have visited Springfield at least a half dozen times during the past three years, since we are planning to retire there. Each time we learn more about the area, and each time we feel more confident that Springfield is a good choice for us.

We were more concerned about the snow and cold, which we really do not have in New Orleans, but now that we have seen all kinds of weather in Springfield we feel more confident about moving there. Humidity doesn't bother us much, and I actually like it. It's good for the skin, and no need for a humidifier. Springfield does not feel anywhere near as humid as New Orleans, but thank goodness it is not as dry as southern California, either.

Anyway, I would suggest visiting at several different times of year before you move. I think that is only prudent no matter where you decide to relocate.

[OA 5599]

Originally Posted by Lynn2

Even though i don't live in MO, I couldn't agree more with the "drastic" comment. I've lived in CA all my life, but have family in WA and have visited there most of my life. I also have family in SW MO and visit there (and LOVE it there), but the ONLY thing keeping dh and I from considering retiring there is the humidity. I'm just not used to it, and it feels sweltering to me. The air is heavy. I'm an active outdoorsy type and I know I couldn't run/hike/exercise in that type of weather. I guess I would join a gym in the summer and save those things for Fall/Spring.

Its really not that bad. There are generally only 1 or 2 weeks during the summer where it is super-hot/muggy, and if you get up early on those days you can still get in a good run. I ran every day for one summer, and there where only a few days when it was 80 or over at 7 AM when I went for a run. On those really hot/humid days, you head to the lake or the river in Missouri. I'm not a fan of hiking in the summer in Missouri, as the woods get more grown up with undergrowth and ticks/chiggars, but again, head to the lake/river in the summer, and hit the hiking trails in the fall/winter/spring.

Missouri can be humid in the summer, but compared to just about anywhere in the South, it is consideraly less humid and cooler.

[GetmeoutofAR]

anytime you go lower in elevation it gets more humid. most of the US (except for the west) is humid during the summer time. I was in Atlantic Canada last summer and the temps were around 70 but it was humid as can be because its at sea level. Look west if you dont want humidity