Are there misconceptions about the humidity in Texas? (Houston, Dallas: wedding, new construction)

[ahzzie]

Originally Posted by CptnRn

-------------------HOUSTON -------------------------------------------DALLAS

Looks like some significant differences to me.

Your charts show an average of about a 5-10 percent difference with Houston's being the greater amount which is what I stated in my post. You call that "significant"? I don't. That type of difference is hardly noticeable. Also, the dew points are what determine the comfort level, not the % of humidity. The bottom line is Dallas is not a "dry heat" and I can't understand why some people try as hard as they do to promote it as such. You guys can't sleep comfortably at night without AC and neither can we.

[texdav]

Actaully it took beig i the army for me to see that ehat combined with low humidity is more dangerous than the same heat with humidity to humans. It tok see guy get heat strokje and fatigue to make me a believer.The army has long recogoinsied this in their heat bulb reading in training.

[spursfan]

I agree that Dallas is no where near a "dry heat" but Houston humidity is noticeable. There is even a big difference between College Station and the Houston area, IMO. It may not be a huge statistical difference, but I notice it.

[bluescreen73]

Originally Posted by texdav

Actaully it took beig i the army for me to see that ehat combined with low humidity is more dangerous than the same heat with humidity to humans. It tok see guy get heat strokje and fatigue to make me a believer.The army has long recogoinsied this in their heat bulb reading in training.

Only in the respect that drier air heats up faster than moist air.

Consider a scenario where the temperature in two environments is exactly the same, but the humidity levels vary substantially.

105 degrees and 50% humidity is more dangerous than 105 and 20% humidity. Why? Evaporation rate. When you perspire your body is cooled as the perspiration evaporates. The evaporation rate slows as humidity increases, meaning your body will retain heat longer (and get overheated faster).

It's ye olde heat index.
FYI:

105 at 50% humidity = 134
105 at 20% humidity = 104

[Lakewooder]

Born in Dallas lived in Houston after college then returned to Dallas.

Many Dallas natives claim that it's more humid than in the 50s and 60s because of all the lakes which have been built. I tend to agree but I just remember before Lake Ray Hubbard opened in the early 70s.

Houston was a lot more humid to me - and then when the air is thick with that petroleum smell -- ugh.

However, I can take that - what really knocks me out is the humidity in Miami. New Orleans is pretty bad and DC is awful. NYC is also bad in the summer.

[sxrckr]

Originally Posted by Lakewooder

Born in Dallas lived in Houston after college then returned to Dallas.

Many Dallas natives claim that it's more humid than in the 50s and 60s because of all the lakes which have been built. I tend to agree but I just remember before Lake Ray Hubbard opened in the early 70s.

Houston was a lot more humid to me - and then when the air is thick with that petroleum smell -- ugh.

However, I can take that - what really knocks me out is the humidity in Miami. New Orleans is pretty bad and DC is awful. NYC is also bad in the summer.

I have been in Houston many a time over the last several years, and NEVER once noticed a petroleum smell, or any unusual smell for that matter. Sounds like something a Dallasite would say....

[Pontificator]

Just for grins, I did some weather comparisons this afternoon while traveling from my home in Parker County to Fort Worth and Dallas, then I looked at Houston's readings.

The Results: Parker County had 27% humidity and a dewpoint of 58. The dewpoint in Fort Worth was 62, and Dallas 66 (with humidity readings also corresponding). Houston had a dewpoint of 73, and the humidity was significantly higher, too.

Hands down, Houston is a more goopy climate. Can't handle it! I'll take the Near West any day!

[Kaul]

Originally Posted by sxrckr

I have been in Houston many a time over the last several years, and NEVER once noticed a petroleum smell, or any unusual smell for that matter. Sounds like something a Dallasite would say....

urh...have to been to South Houston? tons of oil refineries there

[HtownLove]

Originally Posted by sxrckr

I have been in Houston many a time over the last several years, and NEVER once noticed a petroleum smell, or any unusual smell for that matter. Sounds like something a Dallasite would say....

I was thinking the same thing. when will that guy quite. always finds the time to slip a nasty jab in.

Originally Posted by Kaul

urh...have to been to South Houston? tons of oil refineries there

Refineries, in South Houston??? Someone must have blindfolded you and spun you round and round cause you have lost your bearings.

Houston has no petroleum smell. You guys must be thinking of Pasadena and points east.

[joqua]

Originally Posted by HtownLove

Refineries, in South Houston??? Someone must have blindfolded you and spun you round and round cause you have lost your bearings.

Houston has no petroleum smell. You guys must be thinking of Pasadena and points east.

I think that it's a matter of defining "Houston" (or Dallas, San Antonio, etc) by its METROPLEX area, which to some people's way of thinking includes the ship channel (lined with many HUGE refineries and chemical plants). There are old gas wells in the south Houston area that can and do produce sour smells at times. Some might even consider Baytown to be part of the Houston metroplex, with it's huge oil refinery complex. But when I lived on the west side off of Westheimer, I never smelled those things.

PS One of the most violent gas well fires I witnessed in all of my years working in the petroleum industry was one that "blew out" just south of Houston. It created a huge vapor cloud above the city. Fire at one end and rain falling from the cloud right over the downtown area from that cloud. That was probably around 1960 sometime.