The heat has been increasing around here lately, and it seems to us that it’s earlier than it was last year. I have commented recently that we’ve been trying to get out earlier with the dogs for a walk than we do in winter or spring. But I’ve done a little research and it seems as though morning isn’t the best time to exercise for the lowest humidity.
The chart below is for a 24 hour period. See how the humidity is lowest right about 1 pm and again at about 8 pm? And it is humidity that really makes you feel the heat. 6 am is about the highest humidity of all. And that goes along with our experience, too. Opening the door from our dehumidified bedroom in the morning you feel like you’ve been hit with a wet bath towel.
We sleep at night with the mini-split on dehumidify and a temperature of 29 celsius (84.2 fahrenheit), and we are totally comfortable. We are sure that the lack of humidity is what keeps us so comfortable.
Below is a chart of a one week period – the cycles of humidity are pretty obvious.
During the day we stay comfortable as long as we are near a fan. I have a fan blowing on me when I exercise on my Nordic Track and then stand in front of it when I dry off after my shower.
Below is a report of the temperature and humidty for the first few days of June. (Ignore the high temp for the 11th as the report was generated at 8 am) By the way, the Daily Observations below came from Weather Underground and the two charts above are from Maz Travel.
While I’m writing this schnoodle Henry is off at the groomer’s…instead of his over all short clip this summer he is going to be short all over but with a Schnauzer head. We’ll see if he looks cool, we know he will be cool! And then we need to decide if we’re going to start taking our daily dog walk at 8 pm!
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June 12th, 2009 at 1:10 pm
I think just at sunset is the best time for a walk. No glaring sun, and the breeze is at it’s strongest. Plus, what a show!
But the humidity going down is misleading. Humidity is calculated by how much water the air can hold at a given temperature and expressed as a percentage of the maximum the air can hold at that temperature. So, since warmer air can hold more moisture, as the day heats up, the humidity percentage goes down, even though there has been no actual decrease in the actual amount of water (in ppm) in the air. What you really want to watch is the dew point. When the dew point goes down, the water content in the air goes down.
I just don’t want you fainting in the midday sun on the Malecon
June 12th, 2009 at 3:25 pm
That’s interesting. Our temps are much higher but our humidity is much lower. It’s been in the high 30’s low 40’s this week but the humidity shows in the 20% to 40% range. Maybe Jennifer’s explanation has something to do with that. Hot’s hot though. I am impressed you get on the Nordic trac in that heat.
June 12th, 2009 at 4:54 pm
Your temperatures and humidity are running far higher than ours. At 6 PM, our temperature is 84, our humidity 70%. Our 16 MPH breeze keeps things pleasant — blowing in from the ocean side and out through the street side. That makes these two Oregon boys quite happy.
I let Jiggs act as our walk barometer. He will always stick his head out the gate before he steps outside. He sniffs, pauses, and, most often, steps over the stoop — and we are on our way for our 7:30 AM, 8 PM, and midnigh walks. (I think he simply likes waking up the neighborhood dogs on the midnight walk. I have managed to develop a course that is almost dog-free to avoid that issue.) But, there are times when he sniffs and simply turns aound and lies down on the concrete pad. I take those as “too hot” decisions. I suspect we may see more of those as Melaque continues to heat up.
June 12th, 2009 at 5:03 pm
Everybody here has been commenting about how hot it is and so very early. Has us all uncomfortable about the hurricane season also. The air is so thick it is hard to get enough oxygen sometimes. At 7PM it is 84 with 79% humidity. That means it feels like 93. This is crazy!
June 12th, 2009 at 6:58 pm
Jennifer, I have been doing some research on dew point, and although I don’t totally understand it, this site helped more than any other… http://www.theweatherprediction.com/habyhints/190/ I’d be curious what you think. Also, any favorite sites to keep an eye on it?
Jonna, when we were in Merida in April it was 107 and while we knew it was hot and knew better than to set off across town on foot at noon, we were pretty comfortable. It has to be the humidity angle. And it’s funny you say that about the Nordic Track, because with a fan on me it doesn’t seem hot, but when I stop, look out! I sweat something fierce. But I am really getting into the exercising again, especially to Aretha (Rock Steady), the Stones (sympathy for the devil), Paul Simon (Me and Julio), Neville Brothers (Congo Square), Pink Martini (No Hay Problema), Prince (Thunder, Rickie Lee Jones (Danny’s All Star Joint), well you get the picture…
Steve, I think the difference between our locations has more to do with you being right on the water than anything else. We get a pretty good breeze through our house off Ice Box Hill and it really saves us. Hey you know, Jiggs might also be playing the “because I can” card on when he wants to walk…it might not be the heat at all!
Isla Gringo, Yes, it does seem early. I don’t even want to think about hurricanes! How do you stay cool? Patio with a breeze? Beer? A/C?
Thanks All!
June 12th, 2009 at 8:58 pm
Hi Nancy – The furnace kicked on last night and it’s set at 58 degrees! It’s been a cold, wet spring here in New England.
I am mostly an admirer/lurker on your blog (and others) but I wanted to thank you for your advice, etc. about getting rid of things, organizing and moving. We are having a 3 day tag sale next week, have resigned from our jobs and the house closing is June 30. (Like you, even if the deal falls through, we are on our way.) I feel so lighthearted and free, although saying goodbye and receiving good wishes and compliments from people makes me feel like I’m at my own wake. (I am a library director in a small town and have been there for 20 years). We plan to have everything fit into our Nissan truck with cap, including or 60 pound boxer, Sophie. We are headed to Colima, Colima where I believe you said your son once lived; now we are wondering about Manzanillo since it’s on the water. We’ll see. Thanks again for your blog- it is splendid.
Siobhan
June 12th, 2009 at 9:34 pm
I have a weird reaction when I go into AC. I was going to blog about it and the heat but I can’t seem to get a handle on the post so I’ll put this part here. I’m fine out in the heat, actually comfortable, then I go into someplace with AC like a grocery store. At first it feels really good, cool and dry, and then within 5 minutes I break out in a sweat and I’m so hot I can’t stand it. It’s a hot flash, except I’m long done with the real ones. I wasn’t sweating or uncomfortable in the heat but now in the cold and dry I am covered with sweat and it feels like my whole body is dumping heat into the air. Of course, then I get cold because I’m wet and sweaty. If I stay there long enough it seems to even out and I am OK but I get really, really tired. I made the mistake of sitting down and having an espresso in Mega the other day and I almost couldn’t get myself up and out the door. Plus, when I go back outside the formerly pleasant heat feels like a sweat shop. I’m convinced that AC is the devil. How can I be walking around the store dripping sweat but completely dry and comfy before I went inside. What is this or am I just weird?
June 12th, 2009 at 10:08 pm
First of all, congratulations Siobhan on your move! What a transition, you must feel so excited! 58, BRRRR, I can’t even imagine it. Yes, Colima is wonderful, Adam lived there for 8 years and his wife for more than that. It is a great city, we love it like crazy.
Jonna, I know what you mean about places like Mega. But we have discovered there is a big difference between dehumidify and a/c. If you buy minisplits be sure you get the ones with the dehumidify option, and they cost more. We only use it to sleep but it is was more comfortable than a/c. Yesterday we went to get my eyeglasses repaired and they had a/c on which made us feel strange and wet and cold, it was awful. There is a lot to know about all this, we are just babies but I have to say the dehumidify is wonderful.
More craziness here tonight, they decided to re-asphalt our street and a cop showed up at 10 pm to see if he could get the last few cars on the street to move. (glad we were home) Lo an behold they moved an now they are repaving…without six weeks worth of notices posted everywhere. Somehow stuff here just works easier with less hassle, seems like.
June 14th, 2009 at 9:32 am
I hate the fact that we have to leave next week to get our AZ house ready to rent, as I am segueing into the heat nicely and now I will have to plop back into it the end of August and have to adjust all over again. I use the AC when I HAVE to, I put it off as long as possible as I dislike closing the windows and doors. It feels so sequestered and weird as it sounds, I LIKE the street activity, people talking, music drifting by from car windows, dogs communicating with each other in woof language. Nancy, you are right about the street paving..we walked to a party last evening and there it was! New street. Happening in several places in Centro.