So about that humidity … at the game, and here …
Veteran TV sports announcer Brent Musberger kept referring to the high humidity Monday night in the Virginia Tech-Boise football game in Washington D.C., especially when the camera showed images of Boise players being treated for cramps. So was it?
At Washington’s Reagan National Airport, the temperature minutes before kickoff was 80 degrees with a dew point of 55, for a humidity of 42 percent. Two hours later, by the third quarter, it was 75 with a dew point of 60 … the more narrow margin between temperature and dew point raised the humidity to 60 percent. Meanwhile, in Boise, Idaho, the temperature fell from 72 to 68, with a dew point hovering in the mid 20s — and a humidity in the teens.
So 2 conclusions: (1) For Washington, D.C., in early September, that’s not very bad humidity at all. (2) Compared to bone-dry Boise, almost every day in Washington is a “humid” day. Of course, Boise ended up winning, so it didn’t seem to matter.
In Southwest Virginia, dew points have risen into the 50s mostly after a couple of days in the 40s, and that will mean a bit warmer lows on Tuesday morning, but still dry enough that highs could shoot well into the 80s with bright sunshine today, possibly low 90s. A weak cold front on Wednesday will be just enough to trim the temperatures back a bit — upper 70s to mid 80s in the day, 50s/low 60s at night , close to normals– for most of the rest of the week.
The big question hanging out there revolves around humidity: How much of Tropical Storm Hermine’s moisture will get pulled ahead of this weekend’s cold front into our region? The early call is some, but not a ton, which will create a chance of showers and storms on Saturday from what previously looked like a totally dry frontal passage. But we have a few days to see whether that pumps up to more intense rain or if it goes dry again.
September 7, 2010 - 12:19 AM
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High of about 90 or 91 here in Roanoke today, at least according to my car. But the humidity (by SW Virginia standards!!) was very agreeable today. If the dew points and humidity had never been higher than today’s numbers all summer, I would have done a lot less “britching.” And to throw in my two cents about the VT guys, when did Tech change its colors to black and orange??? I thought those uniforms were hideous. Does anyone know what other East Coast college team has black and orange colors? Well, perhaps there are several, but I am thinking of Princeton. And that is who the Hokies played like for most of the first quarter { :>) :>) }, and unfortunately it came back to bite them. Along with a gamble by defensive coordinator Bud Foster when he ordered a goal-line type of defense when Boise had 3rd-and-1 at its own 29 in the 3rd period, and on the ensuing play the Bronco RB went 71 yards for a TD. OK, I am guilty of “Monday morning quarterbacking” on a Tuesday. And while I am dwelling on negatives, does anyone — anyone at all — know any woman named Hermine? Or even a man named Hermine? There was an actress from the 1940s, I think, named Hermine Gingold, but I think she may have spelled it “Hermione.” I don’t know of any tropical storms or hurricanes ever named Doug, or Kevin, or John, or Nick, or Rick, or Brandon, but Hermine gets one!!! Go figure … Now KM will enlighten us (especially me) about how there is a 6-year rotation of names, until or unless one of them becomes huge, like Katrina did. Now that I have made fun of her name, T.S. Hermine will probably avoid SW Virginia like the plague ….
Oops, i didn’t mean to omit your name, either, Betsy. I think there may have once been a memorable hurricane named Betsy. Perhaps the Weather Wizard will know.
All I’ll say football-wise is that, since I drive over half the country in vans with Virginia Tech insignia to chase storms each May, it does help when Tech beats the teams in the areas we drive through. It’s been great fun driving through Nebraska the last couple of years. Fortnuately, we won’t be storm-chasing in Idaho.
I just googled trop storm names, and sure enough, there was a bad girl named Betsy in 1965. So bad that your name has been retired, gal from Hardy!!
Also a good thing that you won’t be storm-chasing in Charlottesville, either!! Nor Tallahassee or Miami, Florida. Or Boston. …. Or Clemson, SC or ….
NOAA/NWS has issued another fire weather watch for tomorrow. High winds, dry air, dry ground. I will look forward to the windy day for delivering mail, with temps in the upper 80s by mid-afternoon. Wind is my friend in summer (except when I am on the golf course!), but my enemy in winter. Unfortunately I have delivered mail in windy conditions a WHOLE LOT MORE in winter and early spring than summer.
Yes, Doug, I was living in South Florida at the time…my Dad owned a marina…I remember it vividly because we used to take all the boats out of the water and into the hanger (as we called it) and it was a lot of work for everybody…then after moving to a hotel inland, my Dad decided to go back and check on the boats during the height of the storm…of course I went with him…interesting times…