SA's extremely hot sunlight (San Antonio, Spring: transfer, store, moving)

[spursfan]

To me it feels like the sunshine is hotter when the humidity is very low. Whatever we all the know the sun is freaking hot

[Reallybigshoe]

Originally Posted by Dopo

Since you are so smart...
why don't you go ahead and explain why most of the time when the sunlight is reflected is not hot
but today I was standing in the shade and as soon as I walked in front of the reflected sunlight from my neighbor's window (50ft away) it felt hot, very similar to the change in temperature when you open an oven.

Dopo - This could be a couple of things.

One: You obviously just aren't used to being as hot as you were when the sun hit you, so you were more sensitive to the added heat. This may seem like I am not taking your description of the heat seriously. Please remember that a change in just 10 degrees inside the body is the difference between being chilled to the point of hypothermia and brain damage from overheating.

Two: The amount of heat reflected is in the angle of the sun, the angle of the window, and the surface of the glass. Some windows (especially down south) are especially designed to block out (read: relect) UV rays to cut cooling costs. The sun at the top of the sky is more direct to us than at the horizon, so a higher sun reflecting from an angled reflective window beaming right at your face would indeed be sending more energy your way than the sun at a lower point, even though that is when you are not benefiting from shade cover.

Other member's mockeries aside, these are the obvious reasons. Believe me, I spend a lot of time thinking about the hot (HOT) sun in my line of work.

[Dopo]

Originally Posted by Reallybigshoe

Dopo - This could be a couple of things.

One: You obviously just aren't used to being as hot as you were when the sun hit you, so you were more sensitive to the added heat. This may seem like I am not taking your description of the heat seriously. Please remember that a change in just 10 degrees inside the body is the difference between being chilled to the point of hypothermia and brain damage from overheating.

Two: The amount of heat reflected is in the angle of the sun, the angle of the window, and the surface of the glass. Some windows (especially down south) are especially designed to block out (read: relect) UV rays to cut cooling costs. The sun at the top of the sky is more direct to us than at the horizon, so a higher sun reflecting from an angled reflective window beaming right at your face would indeed be sending more energy your way than the sun at a lower point, even though that is when you are not benefiting from shade cover.

Other member's mockeries aside, these are the obvious reasons. Believe me, I spend a lot of time thinking about the hot (HOT) sun in my line of work.

I know that it wasn't option one, since I was working in the sun since 5pm and as the sun went down I started getting some shade.
Thanks for the answer.

[BenjaminNicholas]

This thread reminds me of why I put solar coating on my windows and skylights... Texas sun is brutal!

If you have less-than-efficient windows like mine (ie, they're older than sin itself), you're best to head to Lowes or Home Depot and buy a few rolls of UV sheeting for install. It comes in varying degrees of strength, but at maximum strength, can block out up to 85% of the sun's heat and UV.

Not the easiest install: Lots of squeegee work, making sure there are no air bubbles, etc. It's worth the pain though. Highly recommended.




BN

[catriona]

I noticed this when I water in the morning. I'm okay if I'm not in direct sunlight, but once the sun hits me, the heat is much more intense, to the point of feeling like it's burning. I think it's due to a combination of several things. When you are in the shade, you stay cooler, but when you are out in the sun, unless there is a breeze, it is obviously hotter. So, if you go from a cooler environment to a hotter one, you feel hotter. Only in this case, the sunlight hitting, say your arm, is intense because the temperature of your skin has gone from, say 99 degrees to 105. Moisture evaporating from your skin keeps you cooler, but stepping into the sunlight affects the evaporation process to the point that it feels hotter. Just like when the higher the humidity, the hotter it feels.

Also, when it's hot outside, our bodies build up heat inside and have a harder time releasing that heat. Since you are already hot, adding sunlight directly to your skin makes it feel even hotter.

All that being said, it just may be that the reflected sunlight is intensified by the shape of the window glass - if it is more concave or convex as opposed to being just flat.

I hope this made some sense! If I'm wrong, please correct me!

[Dopo]

Originally Posted by catriona

it just may be that the reflected sunlight is intensified by the shape of the window glass - if it is more concave or convex as opposed to being just flat.

That's exactly what it felt like
as if somebody was holding a concave mirror and was pointing it at me.

Do people put "tinted windows" on the windows of their house?

[doss1]

The sun is closer to this part of the earth at this time of the year.

yea, it's frickin' hot ...and it doesn't cool down until around 1am.

[Dopo]

Originally Posted by TexasNick

The sun is closer to this part of the earth at this time of the year.

Some of my relatives live a few miles away from Aruba
it was just as hot as it is here
but I don't remember the sunlight being that damn hot (difference between being in the shade and not)

http://www.paises-america.com/mapas/imagens/aruba-holanda.jpg (broken link)

[Herbrocks]

Just my opinion, but the sun "feels" hotter the last couple years, and I'm a lifelong Texan... It may just be me, I have no proof

[wellguy]

Dopo -I had a visit with my Dermatologist this morning. There are three in the office. Most of the people waiting (approx 30) were 30-70 with obvious skin problems from the sun. There were people people from various ethnic backgorounds. As you know anyone can get skin cancer no matter how dark they are or how easy they tan. I'm 48 and have had skin cancer twice. It sucks especially if you have to be operated on not only by the Skin Cancer Surgeon but by a Plastic Surgeon.

I love being outside but we have to remember to wear sunscreen year round with a SPF of 15 or greater, I use a 55. In the past when I didn't put it on for some stupid reason I got a light sunburn walking in and out of an HEB. That's not a long distance from the car to the store doors. Always wear a hat with a brim and suglasses too. I'm not trying to scare you or tell you to stay inside. I don't want to see you in the Doctor's Office sitting next to me one of these days. Protect your children. Sunburns before the age of 18 will affect them later in life
*I know exactly how you felt /feel. You and I are better off doing our yard work early in the morning or early evening.

To better answer your question YES there is alot of Skin Cancer in Texas.