Hot Weather - Is It Heat Or Humidity That Wears Us Down

Hot weather affects us most when humidity and temperatures stay high. But droughts and fires thrive on dry air.

Hot weather is not the most spectacular type of weather. It often builds up slowly, with the temperature rising daily often under clear skies. But if it continues long enough,its effects can be very serious.

Very high temperatures, particularly when combined with high humidity, can seriously affect the very young and the frail aged, and cause their share of emergency situations. Duringprolonged hot and usually humid weather, or heat waves, noticeable increases in deaths above the expected rates are often seen. While most of these fatalities are not the direct result of excessive heat, heat and particularly high humidity is often the trigger for other causes of death.

Long periods of low rainfall, particularly when combined with summer heat, result in drought - the most slowly developing and longest lasting type of severe weather. Droughts have major economic effects, both nationally and individually, particularly where farmers are concerned. Droughts are also major contributors to land degradation through dust storms and aggravated erosion when the rains do come due to the lack of grass binding the soil.

Fire weather is usually associated with high temperatures, particularly in combination with low humidity, high winds, and dry thunderstorms. This combination reaches its peak in outbreaks of Wild Fires - out of control fires, often started by lightning and driven on by strong hot winds, putting lives and property at great risk.

Smoke can also provoke its own set of problems to transport and public health.

Apart from the strong winds occuring in high risk fire weather, there are usually few dramatic changes seen on home weather stations during the course of these events. But they can still hold our interest, and the links in the preceding paragraphs include more information about their development and characteristics.

One form of hot weather which does create a bit of interest on home weather stations is thunderstorm activity during the Monsoon Season. Some of you may be scratching your heads at this point - a monsoon in North America? Indeed, but it is restricted to the south west in mid to late summer. Following the link will provide more information.

Like to Know More?

Hot weather comes in and around summer, and so do hurricanes and thunderstorms, accompanied by tornadoes, lightning, hail and more. Information on these extreme weather events can be found on the Severe Weather page.

More information on Weather Stations can be found on the Home Weather Stations page, and there is also a page to help you set up your weather station. This link will take you back to the Top, or, when you're ready, here's how to return to the Home page.
But just before you move on...

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Last update 05/24/2011