Summers are undoubtedly hot and sweaty, but certain days feel hotter, sweaty, and sticky; know why? Because of the humidity.
Have you ever pondered over what humidity is?
Well, humidity relates to the concentration of water vapor in the atmosphere, and high humidity relates to a higher concentration of water vapour in the air. The higher the moisture there is in the air, the wetter it feels outside.
Cause the sweat on the skin tends to stay for longer rather than evaporating and cooling the body, leaving us sweaty and sticky. Eventually, too much sweat also gives us a foul body odour.
The ten most humid cities in America have a humidity level of more than 72.5 percent year-round. High-humidity regions have high water content.
Closed regions with very little water are usually less humid. Countries like Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico have low humidity and dry climate.
It is easy to imagine the wettest country in the US, Florida or Louisiana, as these provinces are warmer and closer to water bodies. The most humid climate, however, is Alaska.
With relative humidity, the moisture is expressed as a percentage of the maximum amount of water that air can hold at a specific temperature. As temperatures drop, the air catches a small amount of water vapour.
As a result, the relative humidity measures can be very high in cold climates, although there is little moisture in the air. This indicates one of the relative humidity limits
The ten states with the highest relative humidities are:
- Alaska – 77.1%
- Florida – 74.5%
- Louisiana – 74.0%
- Mississippi – 73.6%
- Hawaii – 73.3%
- Iowa – 72.4%
- Michigan – 72.1%
- Indiana – 72.0%
- Vermont – 71.7%
- Maine – 71.7%
Additionally, some of the most humid cities in the U.S. are:
- New Orleans – 75.9%
- Jacksonville, FL – 75.8%
- Houston, TX – 74.7%
- Orlando, FL – 74.1%
- Tampa, FL.- 74.1%
- San Francisco, CA – 73.7%
- Seattle, WA – 73.3%
- Miami, FL.- 73.2%
- Portland, OR – 73.2%
- Rochester, NY – 72.6%
1. New Orleans, Louisiana
Wait ten minutes, and the weather will change” is common weather saying in Los Angeles. New Orleans, located near the Gulf of Mexico, is known for its bounty of water bodies and precipitation.
So, don’t forget to pack your stuff with an umbrella or raincoat, maybe your favourite rainboots too, cause you never know when the clouds get heavy, pour down and soak you up.
New Orleans is a vibrant and welcoming country, with even more very friendly clouds stretched above you, ready to bestow their blessings in the guise of life-giving elixir raindrops.
Except for October, which still witnesses 3 inches of rainfall, the rain averages 4 inches every month. Sometimes the number goes as high as 5 to 6 inches.
Most of you would be imagining Forks as in the Twilight series, but let me burst your bubble there because Orleans has plenty of sunny and warm, even hot, days throughout the year.
What you miss out here is the snowy weather, you’re not likely to experience snow here since freezing temperatures only last for a handful of days.
But you need to buckle up to face the high humidity in the city because it will surely drench you in your sweat.
The average relative humidity of the place is ranked the highest in America at 76%, which means you will feel hot, sticky, and muggy, especially in July and August, which are recorded as the hottest months all year round.
However, November is considered the least humid month, with humidity reaching only 50%.
Spring – the most refreshing time of the year, extending from March to May. Parks and gardens explode with colourful flowers and soothing green foliage. Temperatures are mild and less humid.
It is also the time for New Orleans musical festivities like the jazz and heritage festivals French Quarter Fest.
2. Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, located in northeastern Florida, is placed on the banks of the St. Johns River. Owing to its location, approximately 340 miles (547.18 km) north of Miami, temperatures are slightly cooler all year round.
Jacksonville undoubtedly has high humidity with hot temperatures mainly in the summer months, characterised by long, mostly cloudy skies, lasting from May to September, with an average temperature above 85 degrees Fahrenheit. August is the most humid month when the humidity level ranges from 70-75%.
The weather system here is very moody, i.e., ‘very unpredictable’, so you will not know when you will need to put on your tank tops or your cardigans.
The most comfortable month of Jacksonville is July and January, which observes lower temperatures, thus experiencing lower humidity. September month receives the highest rainfall on average.
As a precaution, stay updated with the latest weather forecasts and keep emergency necessities handy.
Even though the chances of a tropical storm hitting the region are less likely, you can never know the climate system. The storm season runs from June 1 to November 30.
3. Houston, Texas
The climate in Houston is greatly influenced by the city’s proximity to the Gulf of Mexico. Although the sea is about 30 miles [50 km] south of Houston, the entire region is flat, so nothing can stop the fresh sea breeze from covering the city like a wet blanket.
The humidity is high throughout the year, but it is incredibly stressful in the summer when daytime temperatures often reach 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Thunderstorms are also common in summer, but they are rarely severe. If you book a room in a high-rise hotel, you can get a free light show as a bonus.
The Houston Thunderbolt is better than any explosive device you’ve ever seen.
October and November are usually the happiest months in Houston, with peaks in the 70s or 80s and declines in the 50s or 60s. Hurricane season runs from June to November.
Although falling storms are rare, Hurricane Ike hit the coast of Galveston in September 2008, leading to widespread and prolonged power outages in Houston. December weather is everywhere, with temperatures ranging from 40 to 75 degrees.
Cold winters come and go in December, but the weather can change dramatically between them.
The coldest weather in Houston occurred in January and February, but temperatures below freezing were rare. The second best time to visit Houston is in the spring when the daytime temperatures are usually between 75 and 85 degrees. Thunderstorms can come at any time in the spring, so be prepared.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, high levels of fungus and air pollution can cause asthma attacks. High humidity in Houston means that the cold stays in the air, with high levels after a rainstorm.
Car exhaust and environmental pollution from chemical plants, especially on the city’s Southeast side, contribute to the city’s poor air quality. If you have asthma or respiratory problems, be sure to bring plenty of medication and make a point of finding out where the nearest hospital is in the event of a sudden attack.
Even if you are in good health, be careful when doing any strenuous activity when the temperature is high. Moisture inhibits your body’s ability to heal by sweating.
Drink plenty of water and take a regular break from what you would do while exercising outdoors in Houston.
4. Orlando, Florida
- Hottest Months extend from July and August (33 degrees Celsius)
- Coldest Month – January (10 degrees Celsius)
- Wettest Month- June (8 inches of rainfall on average )
Central Florida, including the Orlando area, has a humid & hot subtropical climate. The area receives an average of 53 inches of rain annually, while the average in the U.S. is 32 inches a year. The rainy season stretches from May to October, so don’t forget to carry your umbrellas during that time of year.
Temperatures are temperate all year round. However, the summers are uncomfortable due to high temperatures and humidity. The other months of the year witness dry season, a time of year when you will probably be soaked in abundant sunlight.
In the Orlando area, summer is in full swing at the onset of June; due to high humidity, the heat is sweltering. You can expect temperatures to rise above 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) in the noontime; as per the records, the temperatures sometimes escalate as high as F 100 (38 C).
However, the evening could be more relaxing as the temperature dips, and at night the temperature remains close to 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21 degrees Celsius). In June, temperatures can cool down to F 50 (10 C).
The sun shines, but the sky is not always clear. As the cloud begins to gather and cover, it gives rise to conditions favouring thunderstorms.
These storms are commonly observed in summer; although they lead to a heavy pour down, there are nevertheless strong wind gusts.
Hurricane season runs from June through November, i.e. late summer to early autumn, and is characterised by high moisture content carried in the air.
Florida has been well shielded against any storms for many decades; nonetheless, taking precautions beforehand is rational and safe.
5. Tampa, Florida
Located in the easternmost part of Florida, it harbors humid weather like most Florida cities. Having the Hillsborough River flowing downtown and direct access to the Gulf of Mexico, Tampa is surrounded by water bodies, thus making it an ideal spot for cruise ships to set sail from throughout the year.
The sky covered with clouds is one of the significant features of Tampa’s climate. Summers in Tampa are long, sweltering, muggy, and mostly cloudy, while the winters are cool, windy, relatively shorter, and partly cloudy. July records as the hottest month, with temperatures touching F 90.
Tampa undergoes extreme seasonal fluctuations in its humidity levels. The steamy and uncomfortable months of high humidity stretch for approx 7 months, from April to November.
People experience miserable hot conditions most of the time during these months. The night provides less respite in the temperatures since hot days follow humid nights. February record low humidity levels making it comforting and cool.
Tampa experiences rainfall more or less for the entire year, with July being the rainiest month, measuring an average rainfall of 6.6 inches. November recorded the least average rainfall at 1.7 inches.
Unexpected storms could strike at any time during the Atlantic Hurricane Season, which runs from June to the end of November, but August and September seem to be the most dynamic months.
6. San Francisco, California
The summers in San Francisco are described as ‘damp’ & ‘foggy’ with chilly evenings. It features the top 10 cities with the highest humidity in the U.S. The summer is long, comfortable, barren, and very clear, and the winters are short, cold, wet, and partially cloudy.
The air in San Francisco is usually wet and sticks to a moderate humidity of 75 percent as the moisture evaporates from the Pacific Ocean. We do not feel the humidity as we would in other humid places like Florida because the temperatures of the North California coast are mild.
The humidity in the Bay Area rises overnight, which is normal as the humidity rises as the temperatures cool. Over the course of a year, temperatures typically range from 45 ° F to 72 ° F and rarely below 39 ° F or above 83 ° F.
As measured by the percentage of time when the humidity level is congested, the estimated humidity level in San Francisco does not vary significantly during the year and remains 0% almost everywhere.
7. Seattle, Washington
Weather reports suggest Seattle, However, the humidity levels are bearable and comfortable, with Relative Moisture often rising at night The days are lengthy, with the sun rising as early as 6 a.m. and setting at about 9 p.m.
The climate is warm with dry conditions, and temperatures rarely rise above 90 degrees F. Seattle maintains a steady range of average humidity throughout the year. However, the relative humidity is higher in the city during the nighttime.
This is due to the greater the difference between the dew point and the temperature, the lower the humidity, while the smaller the difference, the higher the humidity.
For example, if the dew point is close to 55 in Seattle and the temperature is in the 60s, you will get a higher humidity than the dew point 55, and the temperature is 80s. In Seattle, the dewpoint and temperature are about 55 degrees Fahrenheit in the 60s, so it is often humid here.
The lovely spring season is outdoorsy with the dualism of warm daytime and cool nighttime. Crowds are bigger at this time of the year, as people prefer to spend time outdoors after bearing long, cold and rainy winters.
You will see tourists and locals alike hanging by the water, in nearby lakes, kayaking and rowing, hiking, and otherwise enjoying the beautiful weather.
8. Miami, Florida
Miami has a tropical monsoon climate meaning short warm winters with hot summers. Miami’s season doesn’t experience extreme fluctuations as seen in the other cities of the U.S. Winter season is the most preferred by people to spend their time outdoors, with sunny, picturesque beaches and exciting outdoor activities.
Tourists are discouraged from visiting Miami during its summer months due to its weltering conditions, which makes people perspire excessively, thus leaving them uncomfortable. The temperature ranges from F 90 to rarely falling below F 75.
August is the hottest month, while June is the wettest, receiving around 7 inches or more of rainfall.
9. Portland, Oregon
Portland falls in the region of the Pacific Northwest, which is characteristic of warm, dry and humid summers. On average, they have 144 days of the sun shining brightly with an annual temperature of 77 F. Portlands is surrounded by the sea and mountains called the Mediterranean climate.
Portland boasts of lush and luxurious vegetation cover. Owing to the plentiful rains it experiences, it ranks 3rd among U.S. cities with 164 rainy days annually. It doesn’t imply that it receives the highest rainfall, but it means obtaining the appropriate rain to thrive for the flora & fauna.
Rain in summer is scarce with warm daytime. June, July, and August record the highest temperatures, and rarely do any tourists plan tours during this time.
Still, umpteen activities and festivals, such as hiking, boating, and fishing, attract tourists during other seasons of the year.
10. Rochester, New York
It experiences a continental & fairly humid climate and counts as one of the most humid cities in America. The closeness of the Great Lakes strongly influences the weather pattern.
Summers are fairly hot and bright across the region. Rochester has slightly muddy months, with moderately humid months on the other side of the year. The wettest month is April (49.9% relative humidity), and the wettest month is September (65.9%).
Average temperatures- F 70 to F 72
Rain frequently occurs, even during summers, and is often accompanied by thunderstorms.
Summers are occasionally cloudy, but the sky is never completely covered by clouds. But there are extremely hot and steamy periods, reaching the F 90-degree mark.
And that is it. I hope you found this article to be very insightful.
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Last Updated on by Pragya Chakrapani
