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Old 05-06-2011, 06:12 PM
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Location: Western Massachusetts
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TKramar View Post
I lived in Lake County, close to Waukegan. We had 90 degree temps, and I recall a year where the A/C went down and they closed the school early that day.
Schools have A/C? When I grew up (in a place slightly warmer than Waukegan) they didn't have A/C as schools were closed from late June to late August.
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Old 05-06-2011, 07:59 PM
 
Location: New York City
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wavehunter007 View Post
Our country is not only the most politically divide nation on earth (lol)…but the most climatically dived one as well. People either love the warmth and sunshine….or love the cold/snow/stormy weather.

As someone who has lived in the “southernmost” place of all on the USA mainland (metro South Florida) summer weather is far nicer and enjoyable than in the hot Desert Southwest. When it’s 87 F in Miami you are outside in the pool, at the beach watching or going in azure seas, jet skiing, on a boat,…etc. When it’s 118 F in the Desert Southwest even the rattlesnakes bury their head in the sand (lol). Your example seems correct: Many tropical and sub-tropical parts of the world have much higher temps, dew points/RH as the southern USA...and places like Chennai, Djibouti or Wyndham are in a different league.

Some people just like sunny warm weather...others seem to get physically angry when the weather is warm and sunny. To them, a overcast 48 F raw day is "perfect weather". I remember reading that this might have to do with body type: Shorter, heavy-set, sedentary type people seem more heat sensetive...while taller, thinner, more active people seem to do better in the heat. Most folks who seem to do better in winter weather (think countires like Russia, Canada...etc) seem bulkier, compared to those in hot, lowland tropical climates. I know for me, I'm the most lean and active in the summer...and tend to gain a few pounds in the winter season becasue of less activity. Who knows how much science is behind this theroy however.
I don't thinks that's quite fair. Most people don't get angry at "warm and sunny weather". They dislike hot, humid and oppressive weather.

To me, warm and sunny is 75-85F with with due points in high 50s' to low 60s... Unfortunately the South is much hotter and more humid that that during the summer.

One does not have to love "raw, overcast 48F" weather if they dislike the heat.
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Old 05-06-2011, 08:25 PM
 
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
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Humidity does indeed make a bit difference, and the South is on average the most humid part of the country in summer. I'd say the coastal south especially, the Gulf Coast and Florida. Houston's combination of sultry nights and high humidity (averaging as high as 80%, with temps in the 75-92F range most July days) is one of the few cities that matches the discomfort of a true tropical climate in the States. And obviously much of Florida. Places like Atlanta, Nashville, or even Jackson, Birmingham or Raleigh seem to have what I call a warmer sub-tropical type summer, but the humidity isn't quite the level of a Singapore, and at least a notch below a Bangkok or a Darwin during the build-up and wet season itself, places where night time lows often hang around the high 20s (low 80s).

Last edited by Trimac20; 05-06-2011 at 08:50 PM..
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Old 05-06-2011, 08:47 PM
 
Location: In transition
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Haven't spent any significant amount of time in the southern US but I did live for a year in Southern China which gets just as hot and humid as the southern US in summer, and while air conditioning was common in many places, during the hottest time of year you always saw people outside at all times of the day and night doing various activities and really not seeming bothered by the heat and humidity. In time, I got used to it as well and really really loved it.
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Old 05-06-2011, 08:48 PM
 
Location: USA East Coast
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ABQConvict View Post
The concept that body-types (compact v. lanky) are environmental adaptations is described by Allen's rule and Bergmann's rule. That is pretty much turn-of-the 20th century science (pre-dating all kinds of ridiculous interpretations of zoological and anthropological science. See Nazi anthropology for example). While they may still have some validity for certain species, humans defy the simple platitudes defined by those rules.

While it is true that you have lanky people in equatorial regions such as the Masaii in Tanzania, and stout people near the Arctic such as the Inuit, you also have lanky people near the equator, Scandinavians, and stout people near the equator such as West Africans.

People who live in extremely cold climates may tend to be fatter than their sub-tropical and tropical counterparts because they are more or less forced to be sedentary for part of the year. Likewise, extreme heat, and there is no shortage of people in hot climates that have a propensity for obesity even before the modern world and its conveniences entered the picture.

Also, the type of fat humans have is not insulating, at least not in the way a seal or a whale's fat is an insulating layer. While fat, in and of itself does insulate, on even the fattest human, it works about as well as a well insulated house with all the doors and windows open.

A fat person may have no problem in the heat while a lanky person may love the cold. The difference is in metabolism. A lot of fat people over-consume calories and thus may stay warm in the snow. A thin person can experience the same effect. Likewise, a thin person and a fat person who have not eaten in a couple of days will both be cold.

Since I know zero about anthropology, and the article I read (from what I remember) was not in any type of science journal...you're probably right in a genetic sense: Although it might seem there is some geography to where genetic body types might be found based on climates (example, Africans seem to be tall and lean...Inuit seem to be stout,..etc)...as you point out Scandinavians and some peoples of equatorial Africa don’t seem to fit that at all based on genetics.

However, just based on casual observation, I would have to disagree with any academic (or otherwise) research that says that the annual climate of any region doesn’t play a role in the development of body types, lifestyles, and even the development of mental health issues:

While the job I have now has few perks (lol) - the one positive thing is I’ve been able to travel a great deal. In my admittedly limited experience - it seems that those who live in climates where it is difficult (even life threatening) to be outside in the winter for several months of the year (Bismarck, North Dakota for example), more often seem to have a sedentary lifestyle and body shapes that reflect that. On the other hand, cities like Miami, Los Angeles, Austin, and Phoenix...etc where one seems to have more time to spend engaged in outdoor activity all year, tend to be less sedentary and their body type/shape often reflect that. The human body seems more adapted to handling modestly hot temperatures than enduring very cold temperatures. I’ve hiked near Palm Springs, CA in June when the surface air temperature was near 114 F . Though I was exhausted by mid afternoon, I had little real discomfort walking and being outside. On other hand, I would expect that I could not survive for long in -50 F wind chills in North Dakota in winter, and there seems to be little chance for outdoor activity in severe winter conditions.

There seems to also be some correlation between those who live in climates where there is less than adequate hrs of sunshine and mental health issue: I can remember reading several articles (and hearing from a few seasoned travelers), that mention that some of the issues with social alcoholism (and I mean no disrespect to any ethnic group here)in Ireland and northern England is rooted in part in their high latitude cloudy/cool oceanic climates. Here in the USA, the numbers of SAD cases seem to be centered in the Pacific Northwest and the upper Great Lakes – both the cloudiest places on the USA mainland. I work with several people who travel all over the world frequently – and they joke that bars in the cold/cloudy Scandinavian countries are like being at a funeral (they mention some folks seem very glum and depressed).

I realize that economics, social status, education levels, access to larger cities all play a huge role in these issues as well.
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Old 05-06-2011, 08:54 PM
 
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
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^ I thought obesity rates were highest in the South? And I don't think people in places like Phoenix (maybe moreso LA) are especially fit, because alot of the year it's too hot to be outdoors and even if it was nice people would drive around anyway!

I'm tempted to think of SAD as one of those new things that modern life has invented, but I do think there really is a basis for it. I think it depends how sensitive a person is to it, though. If you're distracted enough by other things and are not a really outdoorsy person it won't matter to you as much.
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Old 05-06-2011, 09:29 PM
 
Location: New Jersey
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Obesity rates are highest in the south. Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Louisiana are the highest.

Some northern and western states are the fittest in the country.

http://calorielab.com/news/2010/06/2...t-states-2010/
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Old 05-06-2011, 09:37 PM
 
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
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People who think they can stand the cold better than the heat forget all the clothing/heating they have. You're totally right, we're tropical creatures who are WAY better suited to heat than cold. You can die of exposure in temperatures as warm as 10C/50F if weak enough/exposed for long enough, whereas if you keep hydrated and in the shade even 40C isn't that bad.
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Old 05-06-2011, 09:38 PM
 
Location: São Paulo, Brazil
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I still don't know why Texas-to-florida people complain about their spring-summer warming. Anyone who reads posts of them thinks they're on hell's roof.

You're so lucky to live on such a large country with many kinds of weather range. I know heat and sun seems like physical torture. But I assure you once again, you're lucky.

I've been into a deep personal investigation about southern USA climate. On my research for data, reports, shown extrems events and other patterns of temperature, I've found stuff enough to get to the following conclusion:

Southern region is perfect for those who like cold and warm. Snow and rain. Clear sky and hurricane. No other place on this world gathers so much different conditions.

1- Quick temps raising from April to June (what they're living under right now),t but, with cold fronts still breaking into. So it isn't a endless oven.

2-Stable heat from July to September. Really hard to pull through, but, possibly rainy, what helps out dropping temps.

3-(And more important) A real winter from Dec to Jan, when you get frost, ice, snow, drizzle, and they can't say otherwise. Last december, snowfall hit Houston, Last february, Dallas got as cold as New York(-10ºC); Miami, at sea level is as cold as São Paulo, which is 800 meters higher; Brownsville- Texas' southern city located at Mexican border, got frost last Feb; through my research I've found snow reports in places as far on south as Orlando(1977)...

4- Houston compared with Porto Alegre, Brazil(same lat. position[but on opposite sides of the world], same distance from sea, same alttitude level):
Lowest temperature ever recorded at Porto Alegre: 24ºF(-4ºC)
Lowest temperature ever recorded at Houston: 5ºF(-15ºC)

I think I don't need to give you more reasons than above ones. So, get this message:

"When you're sad at the sun, sweating at job, or frying on the park, remember: It will end for sure. December's coming with its lovefull cold hug to cover you"

If it still doesn't get you up, I invoke my friends from Thailand, India, Mexico and other tropical sites to tell you our heat lasts forever. We don't have a break from it, like you.
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Old 05-06-2011, 11:14 PM
 
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
24,606 posts, read 55,788,565 times
Reputation: 11862
Quote:
Originally Posted by ricardobrazil View Post
I still don't know why Texas-to-florida people complain about their spring-summer warming. Anyone who reads posts of them thinks they're on hell's roof.

You're so lucky to live on such a large country with many kinds of weather range. I know heat and sun seems like physical torture. But I assure you once again, you're lucky.

I've been into a deep personal investigation about southern USA climate. On my research for data, reports, shown extrems events and other patterns of temperature, I've found stuff enough to get to the following conclusion:

Southern region is perfect for those who like cold and warm. Snow and rain. Clear sky and hurricane. No other place on this world gathers so much different conditions.

1- Quick temps raising from April to June (what they're living under right now),t but, with cold fronts still breaking into. So it isn't a endless oven.

2-Stable heat from July to September. Really hard to pull through, but, possibly rainy, what helps out dropping temps.

3-(And more important) A real winter from Dec to Jan, when you get frost, ice, snow, drizzle, and they can't say otherwise. Last december, snowfall hit Houston, Last february, Dallas got as cold as New York(-10ºC); Miami, at sea level is as cold as São Paulo, which is 800 meters higher; Brownsville- Texas' southern city located at Mexican border, got frost last Feb; through my research I've found snow reports in places as far on south as Orlando(1977)...

4- Houston compared with Porto Alegre, Brazil(same lat. position[but on opposite sides of the world], same distance from sea, same alttitude level):
Lowest temperature ever recorded at Porto Alegre: 24ºF(-4ºC)
Lowest temperature ever recorded at Houston: 5ºF(-15ºC)

I think I don't need to give you more reasons than above ones. So, get this message:

"When you're sad at the sun, sweating at job, or frying on the park, remember: It will end for sure. December's coming with its lovefull cold hug to cover you"

If it still doesn't get you up, I invoke my friends from Thailand, India, Mexico and other tropical sites to tell you our heat lasts forever. We don't have a break from it, like you.
Parts of the South do have enviable climates, despite the extreme seasonal ranges by Australia standards, and the tendency for extreme winter cold. Like you say, there's a large part of the year that's extremely pleasant between summer and winter.
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