Hacker News Reader

Comment by elorant | Hacker News Reader

In Greece we're expecting a heatwave in the following days that will reach up to 109 F. So 95 looks like Christmas.

I spent my younger days living in Las Vegas and adapted fairly quickly to the heat after moving there. However there was always three qualitative steps when it came to heat, when temperatures cross 100F (38C), when they cross 110F (43C), and when they cross 120F (49C).

Generally the temperatures stayed below 110 but it was pretty easy to know that the temperature was "over 100" or "under 100". Once the temperature got to 110 it started to feel oppressive. Out by Lake Mead where we would sail and play on the 'beaches'[1] when it occasionally crossed 120 it actually started feeling threatening. Even in the water I always felt "You must get out of this heat" when it was over 120. Sort of an existential threat to health and safety.

The interesting bit is the water carrying capacity of air when it is warmer. As global temperatures rise, the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere goes up. If that turns into clouds in the stratosphere it continues to get hotter, if it turns into clouds in the troposphere it gets colder.

[1] We called them beaches but really its just the desert running into the water that is backed up behind Hoover dam.

Reminds me of an anecdote that I read about the admirable society of Dubai. Apparently, the law requires that once the officially measured temperature exceed 50C/122F, the slaves (or whatever the official term is) are given the day off from the construction sites.

Anyway, the officially measured temperature tends to never exceed 49C, even when anyone could measure with their own thermometer that it's really hotter.

It depends on the humidity. We had a 113F day with over 60% humidity once. No way in hell do I think anyone could get used to that. That was at almost 47 Lat vs 40 Lat for the most north of greece.

But I went to around death valley with minimal humidity and it was barely worth registering in comparison.

Oh I feel you. There was a day last summer when I woke up around 6:00 am and went for a long walk. Temperature was no more than 95F but it had 85% humidity. I could barely breath. When I eventually made it back home I was literally soaking wet in sweat. Had to stay at least ten minutes under the shower to feel a minimum relief.

I don't remember the correct numbers but here in Belgium at the current rate we will have double the amount of heatwaves in comparison with the previous century.

Regardless of what is the cause, it's nut that we are only 17 years in a new century and we already had that many heatwaves.

Not talking about how dry it has been the last couple of months in a rainy country like ours. It's the first time in my lifetime that I'm confronted with water shortages.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com