Some perspective on heat...

[dbhost]

NOAA Heat Index Calculator is a great little tool for comparing how "hot" it feels to be one place or another...

Comparing weather results for the last 3 days in Webster Texas, and Tucson Arizona, both achieved high temps of 102 degrees F.

Webster had an average RH of 50%.
Tucson had an average RH of 10%.

So plugging the numbers in you get a heat index for each place of...

Webster, TX 124 deg F.
Tucson, AZ 97 deg F.

But it's a dry heat it right! I'm not saying you guys in the desert are having a cold snap by any means... But give humidity its due and be glad you live where humidity is a rare occasion...

FWIW, it appears Tucson is getting monsoon activity in the afternoons and is spiking the humidity for short periods, but to around 50% RH... I feel for ya...

[pelligrini]

I'm glad I don't live near the coast.

Tools don't rust in AZ as easy either.

What's the heat index for the inside of my car? Say, with the AC on and going somewhere around 70 MPH. AC in my car is the 2 door windows and a 1/4 glass window open. Be sure to add in the heat from the mill, I get a lot up through the shifter boot and more through the firewall near the clutch pushrod.

[cabinetman]

Heat index...an interesting concept. Last week in sunny South Florida, the temperature (true) was 104 degrees. The RH was 90-95%, for the high day of the week. With that data the heat index is moot.
.

[jackellis]

I've lived in Georgia and Florida. Spent many summer days in various parts of Texas. Now that I've grown old and soft in California, I don't do heat well any more. More importantly, LOML turns mean and difficult when the indoor temp exceeds 77 degrees.

[Ed62]

I think I'll stick with Indiana. It's been hot the last few days, but not as bad as other places.

Ed

[JoeyGee]

I've never put much stock into heat indices and wind chill factors. I don't pay much attention to actual temps and humidity, for that matter. I find it's a lot more tolerable if you just don't know that today is supposed to be hotter than yesterday. I'm serious, it works.

My grandpa used to wear long johns and thermal shirts in the summer, even when it was over 90. He said if they can keep out the cold, they can keep out the heat.

[LinuxRandal]

My grandpa used to wear long johns and thermal shirts in the summer, even when it was over 90. He said if they can keep out the cold, they can keep out the heat.

To some extent, that is correct. It holds the sweat in, and helps keep it from evaporating, to help cool you. Now if you don't keep replenishing your liquids.........

[JR]

It holds the sweat in, and helps keep it from evaporating, to help cool you.

Interesting theory. Science doesn't support it, unfortunately.

JR

[Tom Slick]

Interesting theory. Science doesn't support it, unfortunately.

JR

Please explain.

Other than "holding sweat in" It was explained to me that evaporation rate is directly tied to humidity level. In a low humidity high heat situation (opposite situation) you can dehydrate without knowing it because you don't realize your sweating, it evaporates almost immediately. Heat stroke then ensues.

[JR]

It is the evaporation of persperation that cools the skin. Putting in place a mechanism that defeats evaporation will therefore defeat its cooling effect.

I don't dispute that one has to be extra cafeful to regulate liquid intake in dry climates. The faster rate of evaporation in a dry climate, though, is the very reason that one feels less hot than in humid environments.

The assertion was "It holds the sweat in, and helps keep it from evaporating, to help cool you." This statement goes against the facts.

Now, it may be that a garment which promotes evaporation while insulating the skin would make one feel cooler, particularly in bright sunlight. But a garment that ihibits evaporation wouldn't help.

JR

[rjwaldren]

I'm in California's Central Valley. It's cooler than Phoenix but a similar climate during the summer, Dry/Hot. My SIL is came out and is staying until LV cools down. I would much rather be here or in Phoenix during August at 115F than in Oklahoma at 90F. Hot is hot anywhere you go but humidity is what makes it unbearable.

I was in Phoenix for 5 years and loved it. I worked in a temp controlled lab were if the temp ever hit 79F you had to shut it down. Add to that a remote starter to get the car cooled down before you went out and everything was fine for the 2 months it was actually hot. The rest of the year was like spring.

[dbhost]

Yeah, I miss the **** out of Tucson...

Just not living off of Miracle Mile & Oracle... Ugh! It was close enough to the University, and cheap for a student to live there, FOR A REASON!