AccuWeather forecasters issue update to 2022 Atlantic hurricane season forecast. Get the latest. Chevron right

Ashburn, VA

85° F
Location Chevron down
Location News Videos
Use Current Location
Recent

Ashburn

Virginia

85°
No results found.
Try searching for a city, zip code or point of interest.
settings
Ashburn, VA Weather
Today WinterCast Local {stormName} Tracker Hourly Daily Radar MinuteCast Monthly Air Quality Health & Activities

Around the Globe

Hurricane Tracker

Severe Weather

Radar & Maps

News

News & Features

Astronomy

Business

Climate

Health

Recreation

Sports

Travel

Video

Podcasts

Winter Center

News & Features AccuWeather Prime Astronomy Business Climate Health Recreation Sports Travel

News / Weather News

Why does humidity make hot days feel more miserable?

By Ashley Williams, AccuWeather staff writer

Copied
Watch now

Does humidity make you feel heavy, sluggish, foggy-headed or sticky? Certain foods might help you feel better.

If you’ve ever wondered why it can sometimes feel stiflingly hot as your clothes quickly dampen on a summer afternoon, humidity is the likely culprit.

Because of humidity, which is a measure of the air’s water vapor content, the body’s perspiration evaporates from the skin at a much slower rate.

“Evaporation is a cooling process,” said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dave Dombek. “If you step out of the pool or a lake, you get a chill because the air is very dry, and that water almost instantly starts to evaporate off of your skin so that it cools it.”

According to the MIT School of Engineering, the rate at which water or sweat evaporates depends on the level of water currently in the air.

(Photo/gjohnstonphoto/Getty Images)

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.

“It just lays on your skin,” said Dombek. “That’s why you feel much more uncomfortable.”

When sweat can’t evaporate, the body can’t regulate its temperature, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).

In contrast, engaging in physical activity in dry, normal conditions will cause any sweat to evaporate quickly from the skin.

Relative humidity versus dew point temperature

While the term “relative humidity” is common, the dew point temperature may be a better indicator of the level of water present in the air, according to Dombek.

The NWS defines relative humidity as “a dimensionless ratio of the amount of atmospheric moisture present relative to the amount that would be present if the air were saturated.”

“The dew point temperature is essentially the temperature to which you have to cool the air to get saturation,” said Dombek. “It’s a really good measure of how much water is actually in the air.”

According to Dombek, the dew point temperature varies for different regions.

“[For instance,] in the Midwest or the northeastern Atlantic states, if you get dew points in the 50s or lower, it would be considered comfortable,” he said. “Once you get to about 60 to 65 dew points, it’s moderately humid.”

Heat exhaustion vs. heatstroke: What are the warning signs and how should you react?
What does extreme heat do to the human body?
Experts share nutrition tips for reducing heat illness risk among youth athletes

“It’s not extreme or very oppressive, but you start to feel it when the dew point’s in that range,” he added.

Humidity begins to feel even more noticeable as dew points reach between 65 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

“[For] northern Michigan, upstate New York or northern New England, [that dew point range] is almost to the point of being oppressive because they’re not used to it,” Dombek said.

Dew points above 70 F, which are common in Florida during summer, are considered to be oppressive.

Levels above 75 F feel “like a tropical rain forest,” Dombek said.

AccuWeather’s RealFeel® Temperature

The AccuWeather RealFeel Temperature® factors in more than just the humidity or temperature, like the heat index does.

Since its creation in the 1990s, the RealFeel Temperature has taken into account the many different elements that impact how it actually feels outside.

The RealFeel Temperature also considers factors including cloud cover, wind, humidity, sun intensity and the sun’s angle.

“Time of the day is [also] a factor,” said Dombek. “From June into July, it’s going to feel way worse [between 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.] when the sun is really high in the sky.”

Dry heat dangers

Though arid conditions may feel more comfortable than a sticky, humid day, dry heat can also be more dangerous because you may not realize you’re sweating, Dombek said.

“[When] you’re exerting yourself [by] taking a 10-mile hike or running, you feel great because you don’t have perspiration on your skin, it’s evaporating,” Dombek said.

Meanwhile, the body loses lots of water, increasing the likelihood of dehydration, he said.

“It doesn’t matter whether it’s humid or dry,” Dombek said. “At a certain temperature and after so much physical exertion, you’re going to lose a certain amount of water.”

<hr>

For more safety and preparedness tips, visit AccuWeather.com/Ready.

Report a Typo

Weather News

Severe Weather

At least 16 dead following catastrophic flooding in China

Aug. 19, 2022
Weather Forecasts

Texas, Oklahoma could go from drought to deluge in a week’s time

Aug. 19, 2022
Weather Forecasts

AccuWeather’s 2022 Europe fall forecast

Aug. 17, 2022
Astronomy

Saturn opposition: Why August is perfect for spotting the ringed plane...

Aug. 15, 2022
Climate

Arctic warming nearly 4 times as fast as entire globe, study says

Aug. 11, 2022
Weather News

Bystanders spring into action seconds before sinkhole swallows car

Aug. 12, 2022
Weather News

Army identifies 2 Fort Benning soldiers killed by fallen tree in Ga.

Aug. 11, 2022
Recreation

Level up your barbecue game this summer with these gas grills

Jul. 15, 2022
Recreation

Why a zero-gravity chair is what you should add to your yard this year

Jul. 19, 2022
Show more Show less Chevron down

Topics

News & Features

AccuWeather Prime

Astronomy

Business

Climate

Health

Recreation

Sports

Travel

Top Stories

Hurricane

AccuWeather issues update to 2022 Atlantic hurricane season forecast

50 minutes ago

Hurricane

Tropical depression could form in southwestern Gulf of Mexico

1 minute ago

Hurricane

Andrew, worst hurricane in Florida history, almost had a different nam...

2 hours ago

Severe Weather

'Significant' flash flood potential looms for Southwest

42 minutes ago

Severe Weather

‘Extremely violent’ storms turn deadly as they tear through Europe

5 hours ago

More Stories

Featured Topic

Local Arthritis Forecast

Featured Stories

Incredible desert oasis wows residents and visitors alike How a fateful 33 hours marked a critical turning point for schoolkids Saturn opposition: Why August is perfect for spotting the ringed plane...
AccuWeather Weather News Why does humidity make hot days feel more miserable?
Company
Proven Superior Accuracy About AccuWeather Digital Advertising Careers Press Contact Us
Products & Services
For Business For Partners For Advertising AccuWeather APIs Podcast RealFeel® and RealFeel Shade™
Apps & Downloads
iPhone App Android App See all Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
AccuWeather Premium AccuWeather Professional
More
AccuWeather Shop AccuWeather Ready Business Health Hurricane Leisure and Recreation Severe Weather Space and Astronomy Sports Travel Weather News Weather Blogs Winter Weather
Company
Proven Superior Accuracy About AccuWeather Digital Advertising Careers Press Contact Us
Products & Services
For Business For Partners For Advertising AccuWeather APIs Podcast RealFeel® and RealFeel Shade™
Apps & Downloads
iPhone App Android App See all Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
AccuWeather Premium AccuWeather Professional
More
AccuWeather Shop AccuWeather Ready Business Health Hurricane Leisure and Recreation Severe Weather Space and Astronomy Sports Travel Weather News Weather Blogs Winter Weather
© 2021 AccuWeather, Inc. "AccuWeather" and sun design are registered trademarks of AccuWeather, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | TAG Disclosure | Do Not Sell My Data checkmark Confirmed Not Selling Your Data

We have updated our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy.

I Understand

Get AccuWeather alerts as they happen with our browser notifications.

Notifications Enabled

Thanks! We’ll keep you informed.

FEEDBACK