Why humidity is higher in mid summer
July 12, 2023
HASTINGS, Neb. (KSNB) - ‘Tis the season to sweat off your socks as we head into the most humid part of summer. While southerly winds and Gulf moisture may raise those dew points, there is something else that makes you sweat lurking in the fields. According to the American Meteorological Society, the definition of dew point is the temperature to which a given air parcel must be cooled at constant pressure and constant water vapor content in order for saturation to occur. It should also be noted that warmer the air, the more moisture it can hold. Typically from mid July to mid August is when we experience our highest temperatures, hence the higher moisture in the air equaling higher humidity. We all know how it feels when those dew point temperatures climb above 60. Anywhere from muggy to downright miserable. While 80 degree dewpoints are most common along the Gulf coast, it’s not unusual to see them here as you drive away from the cities into the country. This is due in part to corn sweat. Well, corn doesn’t actually sweat. It actually acts like a wick and draws moisture out of the ground and allows moisture to escape it’s leaves through a process called evapotranspiration. This adds moisture to the air, making it feel heavy and humid in mid summer. Did you know that an acre of corn can add as much as 4,000 gallons of water per day to air? Now multiple that times 9.9 million acres in Nebraska. Just thinking about it makes me sweat.
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