Avoid Delta and Atlanta

The Reid wrote:

Following up to James Robinson

while below zero eliminates humidity.

While the maximum amount of water vapor in the air at 0F is less than
1/10th that at 80F, there is still humidity. The maximum is called the
saturated mixing ratio, if you want to look into the concept more.

Dropping below 0F does not eliminate humidity. You have to go to
absolute zero (0K, or -459F) for that to happen.

but for practical purposes? How often wilI experience a freezing
humid day, I havent yet?

There are regularly days where the temperature is below freezing, and the
relative humidity is approaching 100 percent. It's just that the air
doesn't hold much water vapor at colder temperatures.

The ability of the air to hold water doesn't suddenly change at the
freezing point, so you are likely to have almost the same amount of
moisture in the air just above freezing as just below.

Miguel Cruz writes:

The amount of clothing required to maintain core temperature at the
below-freezing temperatures typical of densely-populated Europe, north
America, and east Asia does not make it practical to do most household
tasks or perform most work functions.

The amount of perspiration and air movement required to maintain core
temperature at the high temperatures typical of densely-populated
Paris these days in summer does not make it practical to do most
household tasks or perform most work functions.

You can insulate yourself in 4
inches of goose down and cling film but then you are not going to get
anything else done, not least because your fingers have become giant
senseless sausages.

You can drench yourself in sweat and sit in the direct airstream of
three fans but then you are not going to get anything else done, not
least because you are dripping water on everything and you cannot move
away from the constant air stream or exert yourself in any way without
raising your temperature.

Hence heating is necessary in order to do all the other things that
people have to do in order to stay alive.

So is cooling, as I've demonstrated above.

Meanwhile, in the densely-populated areas of the tropics, etc.,
air-conditioning is a luxury, by no means necessary to safely conduct
normal business. It's only in extreme desert areas that it becomes a
necessity.

In a modern society in hot weather, air conditioning is as necessary
as running water. Those who realize this win; those who deny it lose.

However, when you take all the places that people actually live, and
weight by the number of people actually living there, it's a lot easier
to get hypothermia than hyperthermia.

That makes no difference for individuals in extreme temperatures. The
fact that the Arctic is cold doesn't help you if you are in a 50° C
environment.

--
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The Reid writes:

is the difference here between a perception of an "international"
district and one of the country in general?

Perhaps it is the difference between a civilized metropolis and a
backward countryside.

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The Reid writes:

so you wouldn't worry about frostbite, numbnuts?

Frostbite won't kill you; a drop in core temperature will.

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Dave Frightens Me writes:

More people die from cold than hot.

No, more people die from hot weather. Hot weather is the most lethal
of natural weather phenomena.

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mrtravel writes:

Do you think that the people living in the climate have adjusted to the
climate in a way that permits them to sleep?

No, I think they just don't sleep very well during the hottest
weather. You can't change human physiology. People in hot climates
have to maintain the same core temperature as people in cold climates.

--
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Following up to James Robinson

and the
relative humidity is approaching 100 percent. It's just that the air
doesn't hold much water vapor at colder temperatures.

Right, 100% of not much.

The ability of the air to hold water doesn't suddenly change at the
freezing point, so you are likely to have almost the same amount of
moisture in the air just above freezing as just below.

What stops the water freezing into snow/ice? Is it something to
do with the way its held in the air?
--
Mike Reid
Walk-eat-photos UK "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" -- you can email us@ this site
Walk-eat-photos Spain "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" -- dontuse@ all, it's a spamtrap

Following up to Mxsmanic

so you wouldn't worry about frostbite, numbnuts?

Frostbite won't kill you; a drop in core temperature will.

that's fine then, lose your fingers, toes, nose and numbnuts and
then say hurrah, i'm alive (unless you get gangerene).
--
Mike Reid
Walk-eat-photos UK "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" -- you can email us@ this site
Walk-eat-photos Spain "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" -- dontuse@ all, it's a spamtrap

Following up to Mxsmanic

More people die from cold than hot.

No, more people die from hot weather. Hot weather is the most lethal
of natural weather phenomena.

what time of the year do most deaths occur in the northern
hemisphere?
--
Mike Reid
Walk-eat-photos UK "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" -- you can email us@ this site
Walk-eat-photos Spain "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" -- dontuse@ all, it's a spamtrap

The Reid wrote:

Following up to James Robinson

and the relative humidity is approaching 100 percent. It's just that
the air doesn't hold much water vapor at colder temperatures.

Right, 100% of not much.

The ability of the air to hold water doesn't suddenly change at the
freezing point, so you are likely to have almost the same amount of
moisture in the air just above freezing as just below.

What stops the water freezing into snow/ice? Is it something to
do with the way its held in the air?

It's just that the liquid stage doesn't exist. Vapor pressure still
does, which provides humidity, and the solid stage exists. The direct
transformation between solid and gas is called sublimation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sublimation_%28physics%29