Random climate discussion

[jgb191]

At least in a desert, you know you're in a desert and can plan accordingly by having water on hand should you need it.

You would think it's that simple, but apparently people are still (literally) dying while out in the middle of the desert like bottom of the Grand Canyon.  I guess people either:

A) Had that false sense of comfort by underestimating the lethality of low humidity and neglect to properly hydrate, or
B) Even with drinking a lot of water, but overexerting themselves causing them to dehydrate faster.

In conditions such as temperature of 110 degrees and dew point of anything below 40 degrees, even just standing outside doing nothing else, the average person probably can't last an hour (at least without immediate medical assistance) in dry heat without ample hydration.

[Poiponen13]

It would be nice to see a place where summers winters are very cool, and there is still quite a lot of snow in the beginning of June, frost measured at least one day in every July and August, and temperatures under -15 C as late as early May and as early as late September. I now start imagining a large city in such climate. I like places where it happens.

This belongs in your fictional thread.  You're just making stuff up.

Well, with one small change, it sounds a whole lot like the Southern Hemisphere...

I meant a place which is too far north or in high elevation. In Northern hemisphere. It causes summers to be very short and cool, and long winters with snow cover continuously from late September to early June.

[GaryV]

It would be nice to see a place where summers winters are very cool, and there is still quite a lot of snow in the beginning of June, frost measured at least one day in every July and August, and temperatures under -15 C as late as early May and as early as late September. I now start imagining a large city in such climate. I like places where it happens.

This belongs in your fictional thread.  You're just making stuff up.

Well, with one small change, it sounds a whole lot like the Southern Hemisphere...

I meant a place which is too far north or in high elevation. In Northern hemisphere. It causes summers to be very short and cool, and long winters with snow cover continuously from late September to early June.

Northern Greenland? Baffin Island?

[kphoger]

In conditions such as temperature of 110 degrees and dew point of anything below 40 degrees, even just standing outside doing nothing else, the average person probably can't last an hour (at least without immediate medical assistance) in dry heat without ample hydration.

In 90s weather, I can go several hours of manual labor without hydration in a dry climate, even at high elevation.  But I don't think I've had to do much in temps in the ballpark of 110.  As a kid, though, I could have easily gone swimming in those temperatures for hours at a time;  growing up, I used to swim from 2:00 to 5:00 every day in the summer without drinking anything, and high temps generally ran between 96 and 102.

[Rothman]

In conditions such as temperature of 110 degrees and dew point of anything below 40 degrees, even just standing outside doing nothing else, the average person probably can't last an hour (at least without immediate medical assistance) in dry heat without ample hydration.

In 90s weather, I can go several hours of manual labor without hydration in a dry climate, even at high elevation.  But I don't think I've had to do much in temps in the ballpark of 110.  As a kid, though, I could have easily gone swimming in those temperatures for hours at a time;  growing up, I used to swim from 2:00 to 5:00 every day in the summer without drinking anything, and high temps generally ran between 96 and 102.

Yeah, same here.  Then, my kidneys decided to protest with a slowdown.

You get your adult kidneys and then it's just managing their deterioration from that point forward...

[Poiponen13]

It would be nice to see a place where summers winters are very cool, and there is still quite a lot of snow in the beginning of June, frost measured at least one day in every July and August, and temperatures under -15 C as late as early May and as early as late September. I now start imagining a large city in such climate. I like places where it happens.

This belongs in your fictional thread.  You're just making stuff up.

Well, with one small change, it sounds a whole lot like the Southern Hemisphere...

I meant a place which is too far north or in high elevation. In Northern hemisphere. It causes summers to be very short and cool, and long winters with snow cover continuously from late September to early June.

Northern Greenland? Baffin Island?

Souky.

[kphoger]

Souky.

Unless Souky is a real place, then this belongs in your fictional "Poiponen13 in one thread" dumpster fire.

Troll.

[Max Rockatansky]

It would be nice to see a place where summers winters are very cool, and there is still quite a lot of snow in the beginning of June, frost measured at least one day in every July and August, and temperatures under -15 C as late as early May and as early as late September. I now start imagining a large city in such climate. I like places where it happens.

This belongs in your fictional thread.  You're just making stuff up.

Well, with one small change, it sounds a whole lot like the Southern Hemisphere...

I meant a place which is too far north or in high elevation. In Northern hemisphere. It causes summers to be very short and cool, and long winters with snow cover continuously from late September to early June.

Northern Greenland? Baffin Island?

Souky.

No

[SectorZ]

It would be nice to see a place where summers winters are very cool, and there is still quite a lot of snow in the beginning of June, frost measured at least one day in every July and August, and temperatures under -15 C as late as early May and as early as late September. I now start imagining a large city in such climate. I like places where it happens.

This belongs in your fictional thread.  You're just making stuff up.

Well, with one small change, it sounds a whole lot like the Southern Hemisphere...

I meant a place which is too far north or in high elevation. In Northern hemisphere. It causes summers to be very short and cool, and long winters with snow cover continuously from late September to early June.

Northern Greenland? Baffin Island?

Souky.

Ne

[kphoger]

It would be nice to see a place where summers winters are very cool, and there is still quite a lot of snow in the beginning of June, frost measured at least one day in every July and August, and temperatures under -15 C as late as early May and as early as late September. I now start imagining a large city in such climate. I like places where it happens.

This belongs in your fictional thread.  You're just making stuff up.

Well, with one small change, it sounds a whole lot like the Southern Hemisphere...

I meant a place which is too far north or in high elevation. In Northern hemisphere. It causes summers to be very short and cool, and long winters with snow cover continuously from late September to early June.

Northern Greenland? Baffin Island?

Souky.

Ekke Ekke Ekke Ekke Ptang Zoo Boing

[jgb191]

In conditions such as temperature of 110 degrees and dew point of anything below 40 degrees, even just standing outside doing nothing else, the average person probably can't last an hour (at least without immediate medical assistance) in dry heat without ample hydration.

In 90s weather, I can go several hours of manual labor without hydration in a dry climate, even at high elevation.  But I don't think I've had to do much in temps in the ballpark of 110.  As a kid, though, I could have easily gone swimming in those temperatures for hours at a time;  growing up, I used to swim from 2:00 to 5:00 every day in the summer without drinking anything, and high temps generally ran between 96 and 102.

In low dew points, mid-90s is quite tolerable....we were around 90 degrees yesterday and I was still able to mow the lawn without much discomfort.  But mid-110s can be damaging to the skin especially being outside for a while.  And lots of people also neglect to realize that the desert Southwest also sees consistently higher heat index than most other places in the country (outside the Gulf Coast).  Even with dew point in the 40s, the average July high in Phoenix (106 degrees) sees the Heat Index near the actual temperature.

[webny99]

In conditions such as temperature of 110 degrees and dew point of anything below 40 degrees, even just standing outside doing nothing else, the average person probably can't last an hour (at least without immediate medical assistance) in dry heat without ample hydration.

In 90s weather, I can go several hours of manual labor without hydration in a dry climate, even at high elevation.  But I don't think I've had to do much in temps in the ballpark of 110.  As a kid, though, I could have easily gone swimming in those temperatures for hours at a time;  growing up, I used to swim from 2:00 to 5:00 every day in the summer without drinking anything, and high temps generally ran between 96 and 102.

In low dew points, mid-90s is quite tolerable....we were around 90 degrees yesterday and I was still able to mow the lawn without much discomfort.  But mid-110s can be damaging to the skin especially being outside for a while.  And lots of people also neglect to realize that the desert Southwest also sees consistently higher heat index than most other places in the country (outside the Gulf Coast).  Even with dew point in the 40s, the average July high in Phoenix (106 degrees) sees the Heat Index near the actual temperature.

It also depends if you're in the blazing sun or the shade, and if there's a breeze or not.

[hotdogPi]

It also depends if you're in the blazing sun or the shade, and if there's a breeze or not.

Breezes don't work past 95°.

[kphoger]

It also depends if you're in the blazing sun or the shade, and if there's a breeze or not.

Breezes don't work past 95°.

Oversimplification.  Breezes help your sweat evaporate faster, which helps your body cool, no matter how hot the ambient air temperature.

[Max Rockatansky]

That was interesting phenomenon to observe on summer runs in Phoenix.  If it was super windy (not uncommon with the monsoon) and in the 90s it my water intake needs went up exponentially.  The wind felt great, but the effect is definitely was something I noticed.

[triplemultiplex]

Humidity is a small price to pay for consistent access to abundant water.
Punch a hole in the ground anywhere around here and you've pretty got as much water as you need.

[kphoger]

That was interesting phenomenon to observe on summer runs in Phoenix.  If it was super windy (not uncommon with the monsoon) and in the 90s it my water intake needs went up exponentially.  The wind felt great, but the effect is definitely was something I noticed.

Yes.  Sweating will keep you cool better but, when your sweat isn't soaking through your clothes, it's easy to forget your body is still sweating water out—indeed, more than usual.

[kkt]

Here's what I want:

10 months out of the year – highs in the 60s to 80s, lows in the 40s to 60s.

1 month of full-on winter, with snowstorms every other day or something.

1 month of full-on summer, with highs over 100 and not a cloud in the sky.


People talk about how they love the changing of the seasons.  I do too, but summer and winter are just way too long.

Good luck with that

[Road Hog]

Didn't mean to start a holy war with my previous post. I just want a break from the extreme summer temperatures. Whether it's a couple weeks or if I can get it with my vaca, a full month.

[kphoger]

Heat index...

No other section of the news ever does that.  You never see the reporter just... This pedestrian just got hit by a car going 65, but... felt like 85.

[webny99]

Heat index...

No other section of the news ever does that.  You never see the reporter just... This pedestrian just got hit by a car going 65, but... felt like 85.

Yeah, that's because most pedestrians aren't clocking 20 mph...

[kphoger]

Yeah, that's because most pedestrians aren't clocking 20 mph...

I once knew a guy who was pulled over by a cop for riding his bicycle 1 mph over the speed limit, just because the cop wanted to ask him how he was able to ride so fast.

[webny99]

Yeah, that's because most pedestrians aren't clocking 20 mph...

I once knew a guy who was pulled over by a cop for riding his bicycle 1 mph over the speed limit, just because the cop wanted to ask him how he was able to ride so fast.

My dad has told stories of exceeding 30 mph on his bike back in his paper route days - but in a 55 mph zone, not 25 or 30.

I just thought John Crist's example of how we don't say "X feels like Y" in other contexts was poorly chosen and basically disproved his own point. If it were two cars involved in a head on accident, one going 65 mph and the other 20 mph, we would absolutely refer to it as an 85 mph impact.

[kphoger]

I just thought John Crist's example of how we don't say "X feels like Y" in other contexts was poorly chosen and basically disproved his own point. If it were two cars involved in a head on accident, one going 65 mph and the other 20 mph, we would absolutely refer to it as an 85 mph impact.

Actually, his broader point with the joke is the same point I always make about heat index.  Telling me that the 78°F weather outside actually feels like 85°F gives me no information.  That's because I have no idea what 85°F "feels like".  And do you know why I don't?  Because, whenever it's 85°F outside, they tell me it "feels like" 92°F or whatever.  And, of course, I don't know what that "feels like" either, for the same reason.  The heat index is meaningless as a measurement.  Just tell me the dang temperature and humidity.

[Scott5114]

I just thought John Crist's example of how we don't say "X feels like Y" in other contexts was poorly chosen and basically disproved his own point. If it were two cars involved in a head on accident, one going 65 mph and the other 20 mph, we would absolutely refer to it as an 85 mph impact.

Actually, his broader point with the joke is the same point I always make about heat index.  Telling me that the 78°F weather outside actually feels like 85°F gives me no information.  That's because I have no idea what 85°F "feels like".  And do you know why I don't?  Because, whenever it's 85°F outside, they tell me it "feels like" 92°F or whatever.  And, of course, I don't know what that "feels like" either, for the same reason.  The heat index is meaningless as a measurement.  Just tell me the dang temperature and humidity.

What's amusing is that after years of living in the same sort of climate as you, you'd think that when I moved to the desert where there's no humidity at all, I'd finally get to know what 85° feels like, right?

No, no, I don't. Because here the heat index is below the actual temperature.