Why are North Carolina summers so humid? We asked a meteorologist
If you start to feel sweaty and sticky as soon as you step outside on a summer day in North Carolina, you can blame humidity.
Humidity, the measure of the air’s water vapor content, causes the body’s perspiration to evaporate from the skin at a much slower rate, according to AccuWeather.
“The water-saturated air causes your clothes to feel drenched in sweat, especially while wearing certain fabrics such as cotton, which can soak up and retain moisture,” AccuWeather says.
Sweat laying on the skin results in the body’s inability to regulate its temperature, which is why it sometimes feels hotter than the temperature on the thermometer, according to the National Weather Service.
Why are North Carolina summers so humid?
The high humidity in North Carolina during the summer months has to do with warm water vapor that travels inland from the Gulf of Mexico, NWS Meteorologist Christiaan Patterson told The Charlotte Observer.
“We get a lot of heat that builds in with the higher pressure, so we’ll get hotter temperatures that way,” Patterson said. “And then of course, the moisture of the surface makes it feel hotter than it actually is.”
Periods of high humidity usually last through the summer months, Patterson said, noting that September, the peak of hurricane season, can bring in a lot of moisture.
“It can last three, maybe even four months at a time, then we’ll start seeing a cool down with the humidity going away,” said Patterson. “Then we start getting drier air at the surface.”
How to survive the heat and humidity
Here are some tips from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on how to stay cool when it’s humid:
Stay in air-conditioned buildings as much as you can.
Drink plenty of water.
Limit the use of your stove and oven.
Limit your outdoor activities, especially during midday when it’s the hottest.
Wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothing.
Take cool showers or baths to cool down.
Never leave children or pets in cars.
This story was originally published July 19, 2023 at 6:00 AM.
