Things that you only know/have only ever thought about from reading this forum (days, city)
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Measurements have been taken at Dampier Salt - mean daily sunshine 10.2 hours. So it's likely some parts of NW Australia may exceed 3750 hours. The interior Atacama is very sunny, but I doubt if it would improve on that. Some references state that parts of the eastern Sahara get 97% of annual sunshine, but I haven't seen any tables.
A wild guess is that several parts of NW Australia would get 3600 to 3900 hrs/anually.
I had not read that parts of the eastern Sahara get 97% of annual...if this is the case, it would have well over 4000 hrs of sunshine. I thought I read years back that Aswan had so little precipition that some of the younger people (less than 15 years old) might have only seen rain once or twice in their life.
I must say I've never seen people argue over weather preferences as much as they do here on the forum, as intensely as people do about politics or something.
It's like cold lovers are from mars and heat lovers are from venus.
Also, I don't know if it is just the folks on this forum with their preferences being a small, non-representative part of the population, but I really haven't met many people in my life with the extreme heat- and cold- loving ideals expressed here.
I consider myself a heat-lover and am slightly annoyed at how strong the AC is in public buildings in the city (My preferred room temperature might be a bit closer to 75-77F more so than 68-70F), and I already consider that (and am often considered by others) odder than "normal". I don't actually think I have met someone with the same preferences as me or more extreme, before going on to this forum . Although I do remember meeting someone from Missouri, who'd been living in Toronto for a few years, who complained that Toronto summers are too cool and short (with July highs near 78-80F), and not enough like real summers but more like spring, and that the places in Missouri he was from had a much better 4-season climate with "real" summer; I think that was the most heat-loving person I knew, before reading this forum )
I can't imagine how the people who say they like to sleep in a non-airconditioned room 90 F all summer long or people who say they'd say they could stand it outside far below zero without a jacket (unless they're bragging in either case) deal with having such unusual preferences from the general public. It must also be an annoyance when doing outdoor activities to have such differing preferences (especially compared to others in the area you live).
Just for interest sake…I thought that sounded a little high for subtropical locations so I checked the National Weather Service data:
Both Dallas and Atlanta report about 2 to 4 days a year when the daily highs are below freezing (32 F). I even checked some of the NWS suburban stations and the difference was close to the same (3 to 5 days per year). If you’re interested you can check here (the link will also get you to the NWS Dallas page)
I think when you consider that both Dallas and Atlanta are on the Temperate (Df) margins of the American subtropics...you might be hard pressed to find more than a few days a year (on average) when highs fail to reach above freezing. I didn't bother to check NWS Houston (you can just follow the link above) but I would guess that less the 2 day a year (on average) fails to get above freezing (32 F).
I only remember that happening once in the last 10 years in Houston, in fact it was this past February for one day (high of 31*F). January 2010 came close with one day at 33*F.
I must say I've never seen people argue over weather preferences as much as they do here on the forum, as intensely as people do about politics or something.
It's like cold lovers are from mars and heat lovers are from venus.
Also, I don't know if it is just the folks on this forum with their preferences being a small, non-representative part of the population, but I really haven't met many people in my life with the extreme heat- and cold- loving ideals expressed here.
I consider myself a heat-lover and am slightly annoyed at how strong the AC is in public buildings in the city (My preferred room temperature might be a bit closer to 75-77F more so than 68-70F), and I already consider that (and am often considered by others) odder than "normal". I don't actually think I have met someone with the same preferences as me or more extreme, before going on to this forum . Although I do remember meeting someone from Missouri, who'd been living in Toronto for a few years, who complained that Toronto summers are too cool and short (with July highs near 78-80F), and not enough like real summers but more like spring, and that the places in Missouri he was from had a much better 4-season climate with "real" summer; I think that was the most heat-loving person I knew, before reading this forum )
I can't imagine how the people who say they like to sleep in a non-airconditioned room 90 F all summer long or people who say they'd say they could stand it outside far below zero without a jacket (unless they're bragging in either case) deal with having such unusual preferences from the general public. It must also be an annoyance when doing outdoor activities to have such differing preferences (especially compared to others in the area you live).
I also like temperatures near 80*F. Under 65*F and past 90*F it starts to get uncomfortable. I don't like public air conditioning either...
Also, in general, reading this forum seemed to have made me a lot more knowledgeable about climates I've never been in before.
One thing that is striking, and I have really not thought about is how unique every climate is, everything from the shape of the precipitation, sunshine and temperature curve, the diurnal and seasonal range, whether there are seasonal lags, the deviation and variability possibilities etc.
It's like no two locations are alike, down to the microclimates. Even though some world cities may match quite well, like London and Vancouver, there are always regional influences. Each one has it's own set of special statistics that show its local flavour. It's not really as simple as dividing places into just hot climates and cold ones, as many people often briefly stereotype or glance over.
It also gives me much pause for thought to consider for the diversity of conditions human beings can live in. It's amazing to consider that the human race has carved out a lifestyle from scorching deserts in Ethiopia and humid tropics, to barely vegetated Arctic tundras and extreme Siberia, even before the modern comforts of climate-controlled buildings.
To imagine a human being that lived in an equatorial region, for decades, who has almost never or barely tasted temperatures of a day (such as a one of a foggy 50-something Farenheit) that in more temperate climes would make one just slip on a light jacket. I've not sure if this is true, but I've heard there are native languages where snow, ice or freeze isn't even in the original vocabulary so that once-in-a-century snowfalls literally leave them at a loss for words. Or to imagine an Arctic resident (even all those generations of pre-modern people who lived and died there, natively all their life) to whom a room temperature equivalent in a modern city, outside might be the record high of the summer and might not even happen most years. It's just surreal to imagine for me.
Last edited by Stumbler.; 06-22-2011 at 09:16 PM..
if I were to guess.. I think Asagi is probably complaining more about Houston cold snaps than Houston winters in general. Let's face it, compared to other places at 30 latitude, Houston's cold snaps are brutal and for someone interested in subtropical/tropical gardening it must be a major frustration that a small number of days every year can ruin an otherwise good subtropical climate.
Welcome to the wild swings in temperature that is N. America in winter. There is no "normal" temps here, only averages. However, it is "normal" to have Houston go from a high of 35 one day, to a high of 65 the next. I don't even think China can rival that!
Just for interest sake…I thought that sounded a little high for subtropical locations so I checked the National Weather Service data:
Both Dallas and Atlanta report about 2 to 4 days a year when the daily highs are below freezing (32 F). I even checked some of the NWS suburban stations and the difference was close to the same (3 to 5 days per year). If you’re interested you can check here (the link will also get you to the NWS Dallas page)
I think when you consider that both Dallas and Atlanta are on the Temperate (Df) margins of the American subtropics...you might be hard pressed to find more than a few days a year (on average) when highs fail to reach above freezing in the big Texas cities like San Antonio, Austin, Houston...etc. I didn't bother to check NWS Houston (you can just follow the link above) but I would guess that only 1 day per year or so (on average) fails to get above freezing (32 F) in Houston.
The fact that Houston has any days below freezing for a high is pretty poor for a latitude 30 location. London doesn't even have one day a year, or maybe one, that fails to reach freezing. You have to admit, when it comes to bang for buck for latitude location climate, the US is rather poor.
BTW, I thought you said New York and Philly are on the margins of the subtropics? There seems to be quite a few posters on here going on about how Atlanta and Dallas are subtropical. The subtropics in the US have to be some of the worst for winter weather, in my opinion.
The fact that Houston has any days below freezing for a high is pretty poor for a latitude 30 location. London doesn't even have one day a year, or maybe one, that fails to reach freezing. You have to admit, when it comes to bang for buck for latitude location climate, the US is rather poor.
BTW, I thought you said New York and Philly are on the margins of the subtropics? There seems to be quite a few posters on here going on about how Atlanta and Dallas are subtropical. The subtropics in the US have to be some of the worst for winter weather, in my opinion.
Not really. The subtropical climates that encompass most of central Asia, China, Japan, and South Korea all have frigid cold winters that are much worse than the US. Like most of Western Europe, the UK has a maritime climate, and therefore the winter is suppose to be mild. The comparison you made is not very valid. It's like asking why San Francisco, Seattle and Los Angeles stay above freezing in the winter.
However, it is "normal" to have Houston go from a high of 35 one day, to a high of 65 the next. I don't even think China can rival that!
No, it is not normal for that to ever happen. Asagi, who lives in Houston, had already mentioned that a high in the 30s only happened maybe once or twice in history. Dallas doesn't even get this drastic temperature "swing". It happened on some occasions for us but rarely, and wouldn't be considered normal.
No, it is not normal for that to ever happen. Asagi, who lives in Houston, had already mentioned that a high in the 30s only happened maybe once or twice in history. Dallas doesn't even get this drastic temperature "swing". It happened on some occasions for us but rarely, and wouldn't be considered normal.
Okay, 35F would apply to Atlanta, GA for sure, while Houston the number might be 45.
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