I don't know how you guys handle the humidity!

fractal · Jun 19, 2005

Re: I don\'t know how you guys handle the humidity!

We lived in new orleans when I was a kid. We described it as "98". It was "98" degrees, "98"% relative humidity, "98"% mosqetos. Boy was I glad when we moved to california. Though, I did miss chasing the gators and snapping turtles.. That was not bad until I went to college in chico. I remember staying there one summer where it dropped below 100 ... for the pre-dawn chill. Then it was only "98". Being a student I couldn't afford air conditioning. Just lie in bed sweating hoping for some sleep before the sun came up and the temperatures hit 120 again. It is amazing how many computer science students can sleep on their feet in a raised floor computer room with snow parkas on so they don't freeze in the 68 degree room.

Then I spent a couple of years in Durban, on the indian ocean in south africa. I re-learned how much I did not enjoy the high humidity heat. It didn't get quite as hot but it was always just as humid.

Yeah, humidity is a challange. Your sweat doesn't evaporate giving you the cooling from the latent heat of evaporation.

OkeeDon · Jun 19, 2005

Re: I don\'t know how you guys handle the humidity!

I haven't lived here all my life, but after 33 years I can't remember much from Up North. Like you, I just don't notice it. I have no idea what the humidity is; it's probably pretty high and reading about it might remind me.

Like GatorBoy, we don't overdo the A/C. In fact, it's usually around 82-83. Ceiling fans in every room of the house get turned on when I'm in the room but turned off when my wife is there alone, 'cause she doesn't like the draft. That's plenty cool enough -- in fact, I get cold if it's any cooler. That humidity must work both ways -- it might make the "hot" seem hotter, but it must make the "cool" seem cooler, too!

And, like AMP762 mentioned, the offshore breeze makes all the difference. Working in the sun you might work up one heck of a sweat, but step into a shady spot and the breeze will make it feel like heaven. We pay real special attention to the direction of the prevailing breeze and try to design and position our houses to get the greatest benefit.

Interesting tidbits. I looked at the weather section in today's newspaper to see the humidity. Not listed -- nothing but high and low temperatures. I guess no one else in Florida cares, either. Second tidbit -- I did a Google search on Florida Humidity. The first thing that came up was a USA Today article about which is more humid -- Florida or Texas? Their answer, after extensive research that I didn't bother to copy -- they're almost the same. Second answer, according to them, dew point is what we actually feel, and regardless of the relative humidity, the dew point in Florida and Texas is usually within a couple of degrees of each other -- when it feels bad, it's usually around 71 to 73.

But, my newspaper doesn't list the dew point, either. I just work outside until lunch, come into the A/C for lunch and a brief rest and change my wet (sweaty) tee-shirt for a dry one, then back outside for some more chores. In the summer I wear shorts and plain white tee-shirts to reflect the sun and a big, wide-brimmed straw hat with enough of a loose weave to allow the breeze through. Our property is near the state highway, and when I'm on my tractor I get enough people honking at me to realize I must look pretty comical. Glad I could give them a grin...

Like FL_Cracker, I have a place in the Blue Ridge Mountains (although a little further North than his, in NW NC). We've had it for 18 years. We used to think that once we retired we were going to spend summers there and winters here. But, now that we have our little slice of heaven in Okeechobee, we're going to sell the mountain place. We're having too much fun working on that property to worry about the mountains.

You could not pay me enough to live anywhere else.

Gatorboy · Jun 19, 2005

Re: I don\'t know how you guys handle the humidity!

FL Cracker ... For the life of me I can not understand why anyone would want to live down there? 

I have lived in Illinois, Florida and Maryland -- and if you want to get used to the heat, live in Florida. The thing about Florida in the summer is consistency. You can pretty much count on 90-93 everyday with afternoon thunderstorms. It is rare the temperature reaches 100, so over the course of several months your body gets accustomed to the low 90's. This is why the northerners (snowbirds) see Floridians during the winter months wearing jackets when the temperatures are in the upper 60's -- they are cold. I used to think those snowbirds jumping in the pool during December were nuts! You wouldn't catch me swimming in the winter, that's for sure.

It is hard for the body to get used to hot temperatures when one day it's 85, then 95, then 80, then 100 then 75, etc. There is not enough consistency, which is why (from my experience) you hear more complaints about the heat from those from the north.

HuckBB62 · Jun 19, 2005

Re: I don\'t know how you guys handle the humidity!

( Today we had a rare occurance, high humidity couple with a warm temperature. 70 degrees and 70 percent humidity. I think it must be something you learn to live with. It's rough! /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif )

Reading this whole thread brings me to the same feeling everytime I go home in the summer. Yeeeeuuuuuuckkkk! After living in an area where humidity rarely exceeds 25%, anything else is stifling. I'm from Georgia. I vacation in the Keys whenever I can. I can tell you one thing, it is such a huge relief to get home so my armpits can unstick!

_RaT_ · Jun 20, 2005

Re: I don\'t know how you guys handle the humidity!

Where's Posey?

HuckBB62 · Jun 20, 2005

Re: I don\'t know how you guys handle the humidity!

In the Sierras east of Porterville (about an hour and a half south of Fresno) at 4000'.

FLDave · Jun 23, 2005

Re: I don\'t know how you guys handle the humidity!

In defense of Florida I have to say that June, July, August and September are the hottest months. 93 degrees every day and the nights dipping to 79-82 degrees. Humid? Yes it is, a breeze feels like it was sent from heaven on some days. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

I'm a New England transplant and have been in Florida for 11 years now. I remember suffering up north in the summer much more than i ever have here. For one thing, many northerners didn't have central air conditioning when I grew up. I can remember tempertures going over 100 degrees and the family huddleing in my parents room with their window air conditioner. I can also remember laying in bed so hot and miserable that sleep was not an option. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

In Florida you just set the AC at 78-80 and turn on the ceiling fans in the rooms that are occupied. At night we might lower it to 75-76 so we could be comfortable in bed under a cover. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Still, that's only 4 months of not so good weather rather than 6-7 months of junk weather we used to have up north. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

I must be getting used to the humidity because when the air starts to dry out in the fall I always get a nasty sinus cold. My wife wanted to move further south this winter because she thought it was too cold (and she's originally from Massachusetts)! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

October through May is when you do your major outdoor projects down here. Unfortunately I have to put up 800 feet of board fence and a run in shelter for the horses now! /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Most people who work outside start at 7:00 and are done by 2:30. I just wish I could get up that early myself. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Bird · Jun 23, 2005

Re: I don\'t know how you guys handle the humidity!

( Most people who work outside start at 7:00 and are done by 2:30. I just wish I could get up that early myself. )

Personally, I hate to start that late. I prefer starting just as early as there's enough light to see what I need to see.

_RaT_ · Jun 23, 2005

Re: I don\'t know how you guys handle the humidity!

Dave, I met a young woman from Vermont or maybe it was New Hampshire (kinda the same thing isn't it?) She was a ski lift operator at Squaw Valley ski resort up at Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada mountains. We got to talking and I mentioned that she probably felt right at home working in Tahoe with the cold and all. She laughed. She said this is not cold, on the coldest day it is not cold. When your from Vermont/NH, you will learn the meaning of cold, cold here, I don't think so, I don't think so. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I know nothing about Florida, I have yet to visit the state or much of the south for that matter. You conjour up images real or not about certain areas, Florida brings up images of millions of New Yorkers retiring there.

Gatorboy · Jun 23, 2005

Re: I don\'t know how you guys handle the humidity!

 ( Florida brings up images of millions of New Yorkers retiring there. ) 

Somewhat true, for the EAST coast of Florida -- that's the I-95 Route. The WEST (Gulf) coast of Florida you find more Midwesterners -- the I-75 Route.