Is It Really More Tropical in Rochester Than It Is in the Tropics?
Don't kid yourself, the hot, steamy weather we've been experiencing the past few days here in Minnesota rivals the hot, humid weather going on right now in the tropics!
If you check the latest forecast from the National Weather Service Office in La Crosse, you'll note that they're calling for high temperatures near 95 Wednesday afternoon with dew points in the mid-70's, all of which combine to give us a heat index of temperatures between 100 and 105. Which is no doubt why the NWS issued a Heat Advisory, which is in effect from 10 am to 9 pm Wednesday. 'Dangerously hot' is how they described our current weather on their Twitter page.
Now, being an admitted weather geek, when it gets really hot out, I always keep an eye on the dew point. Because THAT reading will tell you how uncomfortable it'll feel outside. A meteorologist I worked with back in Wisconsin explained it this way: When the dew point is in the 50's, things feel comfortable. When the dew point reaches the 60's, it starts to feel humid and sticky. And when they're in the 70's, like they're likely going to be Wednesday afternoon, it'll feel downright tropical outside.
So tropical, in fact, that our weather here in the Land of 10,000 Lakes was as tropical, if not MORE tropical, than the actual tropics themselves. For instance, I checked the Weather Channel forecast for Oranjestad, Aruba (which is located right near the equator, southeast of Florida), Tuesday, which showed a dew point reading of 73 degrees. Which would definitely feel tropical.
But the current conditions in Rochester Tuesday night showed a dew point reading of 74 degrees-- which officially made us more tropical than it was down in the tropics!
So, yeah, enjoy that tropical weather Wednesday, before cooler, less humid air moves into southeast Minnesota on Thursday. And even though I'm not a big fan of the humidity, after those cold and snowy winters we've endured, I guess I really shouldn't complain too much about our hot weather... how about you?
Meanwhile, while our hot, humid weather (and ongoing drought) is starting to take its tool here in Minnesota, it's not quite a crisis yet. Unlike THESE weather disasters that have occurred recently. Keep scrolling to check them out!
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