Urgent: How to stay cool in Texas?

[B and C]

In South Texas it is still quite warm.  10:20 PM, 100% humidity, 80 degrees and no wind.  I am not comfortable outside.

 

[highdesertranger]

100% humidity means it's raining and more on the way from what I hear. highdesertranger

 

[WriterMs]

thread title: How to stay cool in Texas?

From what I hear you must wear a very large cowboy hat in order to be considered cool in TX.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

thread title:  How to stay cool in Texas?

From what I hear you must wear a very large cowboy hat in order to be considered cool in TX.    

Ah, but then you'll end up being described as "All Hat, No Cows!".

Regards
John

 

[B and C]

It is still straw hat weather here!  We normally get our first real cold snap around Halloween but it doesn't look like it this year.

If you can call drops that you can walk through and only feel one or two hitting you, then yes it was raining.  I call it spitting, not rain or mist.  Just a few scattered small drops.

Today the rain is finally starting in earnest.  75 degrees when I woke up with a slight breeze and not raining.  Still was high humidity though.  The rain now is a slow gentle almost sprinkle, just a little harder though.  Later today and into tomorrow, watch out.  They are talking double digit rain.  I have not had any significant rain since late June, so this is welcome.  Unfortunately, most droughts end in a flood.

 

[highdesertranger]

"Unfortunately, most droughts end in a flood." ain't that the truth. highdesertranger

 

[Rugster]

100% humidity means it's raining and more on the way from what I hear.  highdesertranger

Not in Florida, it is often 100% humidity for hours without rain. See also: Summer in Florida.

 

[highdesertranger]

that is just amazing to me. how can air be 100% saturated and it not be raining? glad I am not anywhere around there, that has to be miserable if the temp north of 80. highdesertranger

 

[Rugster]

Try somewhere in the mid to high 90's with 90% or higher humidity. That's pretty normal in the summer.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

that is just amazing to me.  how can air be 100% saturated and it not be raining?  

We called 100% humidity and not raining fog in Duluth 

-- Spiff

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

that is just amazing to me.  how can air be 100% saturated and it not be raining? 

100% relative humidity is the maximum amount of moisture that the air can HOLD.  It's when there is more water in the air than that the excess falls out of the sky.  If you like, think of rain as what happens when the relative humidity hits 101%

Regards
John

 

[highdesertranger]

well isn't it impossible to hit 101%, technically it can't be over 100%. highdesertranger

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

well isn't it impossible to hit 101%,  technically it can't be over 100%.  highdesertranger

Exactly.  Which is why the water falls out of the sky at that point . . .

Regards
John

(on the other hand, my old football coach was CONVINCED it was possible for us to give "110%"!  Of course, he was a phys ed instructor, not a math teacher . . .)

 

[highdesertranger]

OP you don't know how many times I heard that at football practice. highdesertranger

 

[USExplorer]

Just a note about moisture measurements.

Relative humidity is, as the name implies, relative to the temperature. I don't find it very useful. Thus, 100% humidity at 10 F is quite dry, while 50% humidity at 100 F is unbearably humid. It is a common misconception for muggy weather to be generalized as "90% humidity" or similar when in fact the relative number is quite a bit lower during the day. It does, however, reach 100% humidity every dewy or frosty night.

Dew point is absolute humidity, a measure of the actual level of moisture in the air. In short, it is the warmest your beer can be and still have condensation on the outside. The dewpoint of 100% humidity at 10 F is 10 F, kind of low. The dewpoint of 50% humidity at 100 F is 78 F, very high.

As a general rule for sleeping, dewpoints below 60 F are pleasant, dewpoints between 60 and 70 are humid but tolerable, dewpoints between 70 and 80 are unpleasant, and dewpoints above 80 are intolerable.

We have no A/C at the lodge I work at in New Hampshire. A rule of thumb is, if there is moisture condensed on the toilet plumbing, it's gonna be a muggy day.

 

[Gideon33w]

There is something in the original post that wasn't really addressed but should be ...

Goal Zero products are astronomically overpriced. You can go to HomeDepot/Walmart and make a better system for less money (I don't suggest you do this but it is easily doable)

Dont get suckered in by trendy marketing.

 

[Txjaybird]

If your car isn't white, you can always paint the roof of the car with white Elasko-tek(spelling?), a-la Mini Cooper style. That should reflect a lot of overhead direct heat. Get a set of Lund vent visors, and you can keep your windows cracked while parked. Park in the shade of malls with multi-level parking. Walk in the mall during the day where there's AC and you won't have to worry about being baked. Drink ice water throughout the day.

hey rollin,  txjbird here.   i too have a ranger. a 1991 4X4, 4.0 V6, ext. cab xlt. with over  200K miles.   iv'e just decided i'll probably die before i ever have enough $$$ to buy a van and since iv'e had the ranger for over 11yrs. i'm just going to fix it up.   i was getting ready to post some inquires re: off grid/ fulltiming in the ranger when i saw your response about staying cool in texas.   being born and raised in texas i advise get out of the concrete and stay around lakes when possible or get out of tx from april . til november  happy trails tjb

 

[PatsyG]

I grew up in Texas, and if you have lived in South Texas very long you know you are not going to survive a 6 month Texas summer. Even trying will put your health at risk.
Getting a heat stroke when it is 100+ and too humid to sweat will make a believer out of you.. Ask me how I know. Even if you don't mind being miserable or staying in public buildings most of the time, there will be 2 or 3 months you will need AC the most. Try renting a driveway with electricity for $100 - $150 per month. Before and after that you can live on the beach and let the gulf breezes cool you. Or get out of Texas. Your health is not worth the risk.

 

[gojo]

I lived in Texas all my life. If I'm about 10 or 15 pounds over weight, then it's hell. If I slim down I can take it. Those who can't, I advise you to go to the coast. It's heaven to lie down in a reclining lawn chair right by the water and let the Gulf breeze blow on you. Take your pets with you, they'll enjoy it to, as you can see the photos below.

 

[debit.servus]

excuse me but winter is on the way. I mean it's good to plan ahead but I don't think keeping cool is urgent for at least 6 months. lol. let the keeping warm threads begin. highdesertranger

He/She is Thinking Ahead. I am Thinking Ahead and need to patch the wiring on the vans rear heat exchanger and seal the condensate outlet, so it's ready to go in the first heatwave.