May marks the long-dreaded return of uncomfortable summer humidity across the eastern U.S.
Sticky and sweaty weather can be a major headache, especially when people are heading to work, a movies, or are out on a first date.
Multiple major cities across 37 states are forecast to feel the pain as soon as this week, in the South, Southeast, and along the eastern seaboard.
Residents of Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida are facing the brunt of the uncomfortable conditions, Ben Noll, a meteorologist at The Washington Post, said. But, cities like New York, Detroit, and Philadelphia are expected to get stickier by mid-week thanks to an atmospheric river storm.
“In southern states, signs are that the high humidity will last into next week, while northern ones will likely get a break,” Noll added.
This week’s wet and warm weather is a prelude to projected warmer and wetter summer conditions. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says temperatures are anticipated to be above average for the Northeast and parts of the Southeast. There is the potential for a wetter summer for most major East Coast hubs.
Why might this be a cause for concern?
Well, in addition to throwing a wrench in summer festivities and fireworks, rising temperatures, humidity, and precipitation tied to human-caused climate change also come with potentially dangerous health impacts.
Climate change is making the days hotter and more humid. Hotter days have resulted in more heat deaths, which doubled in recent decades. Deaths linked to heat exposure have already been reported this year.
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As human-caused warming turns up the planet’s thermostat, the atmosphere can hold more water vapor: Earth’s most abundant greenhouse gas. Humidity is a measure of water vapor in the air, and the dew point helps us tell just how muggy it is outside.
Sweltering temperatures can be made even more oppressive when dew points soar, resulting in consequences to peoples’ health. The combo can cause more blood flow to the skin and the heart to beat faster, while circulating twice as much blood per minute than on a normal day, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Overexposure to humidity can also lead to overheating, reducing the body’s ability to cool itself through sweat evaporation.
“Because the air feels warmer than the official, recorded temperature, it can contribute to feelings of low energy and lethargy,” the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center said. “In addition, hyperthermia, or over-heating as a result of your body’s inability to effectively let out heat, can negatively impact your health in conditions of high humidity.”
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