Is it usually this hot? (Cincinnati, London: mattresses, house, live)

[high mileage]

I have only been here for about two years, so I do not have much experience with summers here. For those who have been here for a while, does this summer seem hotter than normal? Last summer was rather pleasant IMO. It was relatively cool, although July was pretty much a washout. This year, it seems like it has been scorching hot since late May. I just wanted to know if this is a relatively typical summer for the Cincinnati area?

[Briolat21]

We moved here about 2.5 years ago, so I know where you're coming from. According to the news - last July was the "coolest" on record. I think this July is hotter than usual, though I haven't seen stats to back that up. HOwever, when compared to last summer - it makes it that much dramatic. As is evidenced by my electrical bill comparisons to last year's usage.

[high mileage]

^ Yeah, my electric bill for this summer has been literally about two times higher than what it was last year. Last year my AC was off for half the summer.

[kjbrill]

Originally Posted by high mileage

I have only been here for about two years, so I do not have much experience with summers here. For those who have been here for a while, does this summer seem hotter than normal? Last summer was rather pleasant IMO. It was relatively cool, although July was pretty much a washout. This year, it seems like it has been scorching hot since late May. I just wanted to know if this is a relatively typical summer for the Cincinnati area?

Certainly more typical than last summmer, which for those of us who grew up here was a complete anomaly.

Back during the Great Depression, prior to the days of common AC, people would drag their mattresses out onto the roof tops in order to sleep at all. I remember in the early 50s my father installed a huge whole house attic fan which would draw air through the bedroom windows like you were in a wind tunnel to give the illusion of being comfortable.

I would say 90+ degrees coupled with 90+ humidity is rather typical of Cincinnati summers. And we haven't yet hit the dog days of August when things get really miserable. Unfortunately, in my lifetime here this summer is more typical than not.

[shyspider]

I basically agree with kjbrill. I won't say this is "normal", but it's not unusual either. As far as temperatures go, this is pretty common for the height of summer. It has been known to get hotter than this in Cincinnati, believe me. I've lived in SW Ohio since 1965, and it cycles among good summers and bad summers. This is a bit on the bad side, but nothing extreme. It hasn't been that long ago that we had a string of days in the upper 90s, with a few days over 100. That was within the past 5 years.

I will say the thing I've noticed about this summer, which seems a bit "off", is the long string of days with such high humidity. Granted, Cincinnati is known for it's humidity in the summers, but usually it breaks after a few days, then feels much better outside, even if it is still hot. That doesn't seem to be happening this summer. This humidity is what gets to me the most. I detest summers anyway, and the mugginess makes it worse.

[high mileage]

Originally Posted by kjbrill

Back during the Great Depression, prior to the days of common AC, people would drag their mattresses out onto the roof tops in order to sleep at all. I remember in the early 50s my father installed a huge whole house attic fan which would draw air through the bedroom windows like you were in a wind tunnel to give the illusion of being comfortable.

Wow, I can't even imagine that! And yet, people of my generation complain when the AC is out for a day or two. My AC went out in May, and it made me reflect upon my parents always talking about what it was like growing up without AC.

[high mileage]

People always usually say the dog days of August, but doesn't it technically start cooling off around mid August (at least in the northern tier)?

When I lived in Charleston, August could easily be considered the hottest month, and it could still be muggy and well in the upper 80's through September-yuck!

I'm like shyspider, I'm not a fan of summers. I really do not like the intense sun angle and excessive heat-I'm weird I guess. I would easily take the climate of London over Miami's.

[shyspider]

Originally Posted by high mileage

I'm like shyspider, I'm not a fan of summers. I really do not like the intense sun angle and excessive heat-I'm weird I guess. I would easily take the climate of London over Miami's.

I couldn't agree more.

[Ohiogirl81]

It may be hotter than normal, but hot summers aren't unusual. The first summer I lived in Cincinnati was 1983 and it was so incredibly hot and humid, plus I no longer had Lake Erie six blocks away to dive into. I must have annoyed a lot of people by whining so much.

Summer of 1988 was hot and dry; I remember making lots of trips to visit farmers in Clermont County to write stories for my newspaper about how their crops were withering.

Originally Posted by high mileage

People always usually say the dog days of August, but doesn't it technically start cooling off around mid August (at least in the northern tier)?

Not in Cincinnati; cooling off generally comes around mid-September.

Your mileage may vary, of course.

[Tubby513]

95 and humid as hell out? Perfect! Time for a walk to the bank from work.