Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Does anyone else get irritated at this phrase when it's used to downplay heat, especially three digit temperatures? Now granted all other factors the same humidity does make heat worse, but anything over 90F and especially over 100F is nasty no matter how dry the air is.
Secondly I often hear this phrase bandied even when the humidity is not that low just because it's "common sense" that certain areas (ie anywhere west of the Rocky Mountains) are never humid. For example here on the West Coast of the US it's not uncommon for it to be 95 degrees with a dewpoint of 65 yet people will insist this is okay since it's a "dry heat". Despite the fact that 95 with 44% humidity is just as humid and 15 degrees hotter than 80 degrees with 65% humidity which is typical of the Midwest.
Another thing is that dry heat tends to mean more direct sunlight, which is also an aggravating factor when considering the "feels" of a hot summer day.
Where on the west coast is the combination of 95°F and a 65°F at all common? West coast dew points usually top out at about 60°F and very hot temperatures are generally not with humidity.
here on the West Coast of the US it's not uncommon for it to be 95 degrees with a dewpoint of 65 yet people will insist this is okay since it's a "dry heat".
Dewpoint of 65 is not "dry".
This is dry heat. Phoenix Current Temps in the 90s while DPs in the 30s/40s! It's dry but its hot.
I remember being in Vegas in May one year and sitting in full sun by the pool. When someone mentioned it was 103°F I didn't believe them. I looked at the outdoor thermometer, sure enough triple digit and yet didn't feel sweltering hot. It was a dry heat.
Something we never get here. Wake me up if our dewpoints stay below 50 when temps are 90F+. lol
Where on the west coast is the combination of 95°F and a 65°F at all common? West coast dew points usually top out at about 60°F and very hot temperatures are generally not with humidity.
Such a combination is very common in Palm Springs.
This expression drive me nuts until I moved to a very humid state. It's 90 degrees with extremely high humidity it is hard to breathe. You get out of the shower and sweat again.
If standing in the full sun, assuming clear skies, under both types of heat wouldn't the very low moisture in the air allow the sunlight to be more intense, counteracting the tendency for high DP's to rob you of your evaporation?
I despise humid heat.. I like heat but only if it is dry. The past few days here have not been my favourite, I prefer 30C with 10C dewpoints
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
