18 July 2011

"Humigeddon"

The map above, from Paul Douglas' On Weather blog, shows the forecasted heat indexes yesterday.  Here in Madison the actual heat index was 119, because of a dew point of 86!  It was a day when you didn't have to water the garden while working - just lean over the plants and let your sweat drip onto them.  But I got some nice hollyhocks planted.

I spent ten years in Dallas and experienced many days hotter than this, but never a heat index this high - even I think during my years in St. Louis.  Brutal.

Addendu:  Oops, correction.  It took me until now to realize that Paul Douglas was referring to Madison, Minnesota rather than Madison, Wisconsin.  But it was also hot here.

7 comments:

  1. To think, we've been complaining about not having had a 90 degree day yet in Oregon.

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  2. But we don't see the sun either. I'd take a bit of heat if the sun would shine.

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  3. I wonder if the heat index, what the air feels like, should be amended to reflect geographical differences and the acclimation tendencies of the indigenous populations. So 100 degrees and 86% humidity in Minneapolis, where few are acclimated to such conditions, yields a different heat index than the same conditions would in Houston. I think I may need a large grant to study this further.

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  4. I have no doubt that those of us "up north" are heat wimps, just as Houstonians may be cold wimps, but the factor I wonder about is wind or air movement. It is a primary determinant of winter wind chills, and subjectively it makes a big difference on a summer day.

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  5. Oh gosh just look at all those 100's, too hot....

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  6. I noticed in his blog, he said "Minnesota summers are becoming more human".

    I think he meant "humid".

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  7. I've left him a comment. Thanks for pointing it out.

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