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Phoenix and Vegas are the worst I've ever experienced in August (which is the worst of the summer in most places in the US). They both can be windy in the summer as well - being outside in 105 degree heat with a hot wind feels like walking through a giant hairdryer. It's horrible.
Houston and New Orleans are bad but the humidity doesn't bother me much because I'm used to it. I actually prefer it over extreme dry heat because my skin really hates the dry air.
Dallas gets a lot of flak for it's heat and it does get bad, but it's definitely a little better than all of the above. It's not the dry, skin-scorching heat of a Phoenix or Dallas, but also not the dripping wet heat of Houston or New Orleans.
Last edited by Mr. Clutch; 01-19-2021 at 04:29 PM..
A lot of posters simply just pick the first city that comes to mind, or what triggers their emotions, rather than actually understanding the data or thinking logically about the situation. For instance, I'm sure that Atlanta and Miami simply accumulate some votes just by default of their larger populations and traffic, as there'd naturally be more people with "vendettas" against both, respectively. Meanwhile, Orlando, with its much smaller population, would simply be ignored.
It then ties into the circumstance of vote-splitting. A vote that otherwise might have gone to Orlando instead goes towards, say, Houston or NOLA. And, then, due to the aforementioned factor, Atlanta and Miami wind up accumulating more votes. Same thing with Dallas or San Antonio relative to, say, Phoenix. You then have this poll, which looks at first glance like a clear two horse race between Phoenix and Houston, but it's actually just two different contingents voting in isolation.
True. Maybe ranked voting would have been better as I don't think Houston has worse summers that Vegas but people who can't stand the desert heat already chose Phoenix.
Going by Personal experience I would rank worst summers as follows
1. Phoenix
2. Vegas
3. New Orleans/ Mobile/ Gulfport/ Pensacola
4. Tampa
5. San Antonio/ Austin
6. Orlando
7. Houston
8. Jacksonville
9. Dallas
I wouldn't even put Atlanta on the list.
Yeah it gets hot and it does get humid but it doesn't belong anywhere near the top 10
There are probably a ton of other cities that may be higher than those but those I can remember being brutal.
The gulf coast has that humidity you can stir with a spoon but New Orleans stands out to me, probably because I have lots of experience there. But still Phoenix and Vegas had nola beat
No need to, I already have the NWS data as posted on page 3.
Quote:
I think the sun in Phoenix and LV can be overbearing.
But, it absolutely cools down when the sun drops. The Texas cities can still be 90+ heat index, well past 11pm.
And yet Phoenix is still much warmer than anything listed on the poll, with entire nights failing to drop below 90°F. Las Vegas is less intense than Phoenix, but as shown from the charts, both still are the clear centers of heat compared to anywhere else on the poll, heat index or otherwise.
Quote:
Originally Posted by allenk893
Houston is hell on Earth. I'm a life long Floridian and I don't know anywhere in the state has ever felt as hot as a summer there.
Ocala and Lakeland.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Spade
I think if Houston saw the sea breeze summer rain like Miami does, it will be more bearable. But it doesn’t and the more inland you are, the hotter it will feel.
I actually feel that something has changed in weather patterns during recent years, because I honestly never hear much about the sea-breeze anymore in Houston area weather reports. In fact, I've seen even people in Florida describe a "collapse" in recent years regarding the normal sea-breeze cycle.
Location: Midwesterner living in California (previously East Coast)
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During the peak 3 months of summer (June, July, August), I'd say Phoenix is the most unpleasant and straight-up dangerous major city to be in as far as temperatures go. Las Vegas gets an honorable mention too. I remember being in Phoenix last summer and nearly passing out from the extremely high temperatures. Even having minor, low-level burns from sun-cooked car seats and seatbelts. So many days with sustained 100F temperatures and the heat just becomes overwhelming. Don't care if it's a dry heat. You're still being cooked.
However, for the other 3 or so "hot" months of the year (May, Sept, Oct) I'd rather suffer in Phoenix than deal with Houston or New Orleans. I don't like sweating and Texas/the South East are the worst on that front.
No need to, I already have the NWS data as posted on page 3.
And yet Phoenix is still much warmer than anything listed on the poll, with entire nights failing to drop below 90°F. Las Vegas is less intense than Phoenix, but as shown from the charts, both still are the clear centers of heat compared to anywhere else on the poll, heat index or otherwise.
Ocala and Lakeland.
I actually feel that something has changed in weather patterns during recent years, because I honestly never hear much about the sea-breeze anymore in Houston area weather reports. In fact, I've seen even people in Florida describe a "collapse" in recent years regarding the normal sea-breeze cycle.
Actually for most of the summer the heat index in Las Vegas is less than that of Houston or Dallas. So if we are using heat index as the surrogate for creature comfort Las Vegas is mostly the best of the three.
Also note the low in Phoenix in the summer ranges from 76 to 82. So it would be a unusual for a 90 overnight low and a sequence of them virtually impossible.
During the peak 3 months of summer (June, July, August), I'd say Phoenix is the most unpleasant and straight-up dangerous major city to be in as far as temperatures go. Las Vegas gets an honorable mention too. I remember being in Phoenix last summer and nearly passing out from the extremely high temperatures. Even having minor, low-level burns from sun-cooked car seats and seatbelts. So many days with sustained 100F temperatures and the heat just becomes overwhelming. Don't care if it's a dry heat. You're still being cooked.
However, for the other 3 or so "hot" months of the year (May, Sept, Oct) I'd rather suffer in Phoenix than deal with Houston or New Orleans. I don't like sweating and Texas/the South East are the worst on that front.
100 and dry is not all that unpleasant. In fact when it gets past a 100 our cat and dog love to go out on the patio and lay in the bright sunshine with shade only 4 feet away. And if you keep them well hydrated they have no problem with it.
It takes a little getting used to. And you sometimes need to simply get out of it...115 happens and that is pretty tough. Though still fine for laying in the swimming pool.
Phoenix is a little worse but the same strategies work.
Actually for most of the summer the heat index in Las Vegas is less than that of Houston or Dallas. So if we are using heat index as the surrogate for creature comfort Las Vegas is mostly the best of the three.
Nope.
Quote:
Also note the low in Phoenix in the summer ranges from 76 to 82. So it would be a unusual for a 90 overnight low and a sequence of them virtually impossible.
Again, refer back to the NWS data that I posted on on page 3. The average lows in Phoenix are well above 80°F during July and August. It also averages 10 nights a year that fail to drop below 90°F - hardly what would be considered "virtually impossible."
Again, refer back to the NWS data that I posted on on page 3. The average lows in Phoenix are well above 80°F during July and August. It also averages 10 nights a year that fail to drop below 90°F - hardly what would be considered "virtually impossible."
Location: Live:Downtown Phoenix, AZ/Work:Greater Los Angeles, CA
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lvmensch
Actually for most of the summer the heat index in Las Vegas is less than that of Houston or Dallas. So if we are using heat index as the surrogate for creature comfort Las Vegas is mostly the best of the three.
Also note the low in Phoenix in the summer ranges from 76 to 82. So it would be a unusual for a 90 overnight low and a sequence of them virtually impossible.
I don't know where you are getting your figures. Phoenix's average low in summer using the new 1991-2020 30 year averages goes from 74°F June 1st to 85°F from July 21st-July 24th down to 81°F August 31st. And on average, there are 9 90°F lows: 1 in June, 5 in July and 3 in August. This last summer had 2 different 7 day stretches of 90°F lows (tying the longest streak on record twice)
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