Have You Noticed Increased Humidity Where You Live?

Has anyone else noticed this? I've noticed it particularly in the past few years, we've had some humid days in Melbourne which I don't think was that common pre-2019.

I was interstate for a while and noticed every year I came back during the summer that the weather was noticeably more humid down here, and in Sydney it was also quite humid but as my sample size is small I can't tell if it's changed over time.

Is anyone else (really those who have lived here for decades specifically) noticing it's changed somewhat? I don't know what the climate is like in other cities, I would expect it to be much more pronounced in Darwin and Cairns.

Poll Options expired

  • 19
    No it seems the same as it always has
  • 86
    Yes I've noticed it's more humid

Comments

  • +5

    Yeah, definitely more humid in Melbourne. Weird because I keep moving between places with evaporative aircon and keep moving further north, and while it's nice when I move in after a few years it becomes worthless.

    Growing up in Bendigo it felt drier than the sahara, now it gets actually humid when I go back there.

    • Interesting, how many times have you noticed that with the evaporative aircon?

      I'm not sure if this is a larger part of La Nina or El Nino cycles but I just don't remember getting this kind of humidity often.

  • +3

    Welcome to come to SA, current heatwave will solve your humidity concerns. Drier than a dead dingo's… 🥵

    • Depends on the day. My portable AC some days will extract a tonne of water from the air, other hot days it won't get any water. The first time I ran it into a bucket overnight it pulled so much water the bucket overflowed. I have humidity sensors around the house and it usually is in a good range.

    • +2

      Drier than a Pommies bath mat?

  • https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-01-12/nsw-sydney-humidity-w…

    Certainly there seems to be a lot more humidity than I remember as a kid.

    • Are you still living where you lived as a kid?

      • -1

        I grew up in Geelong and now I live in Melbourne so pretty much.

  • +1

    Have You Noticed Increased Humidity Where You Live?

    Couldn't be climate change, everyone says that doesn't exist!

    • -1

      The climate has been changing since the Earth was created…

      • Oh look, our local climate change expert has appeared. So climate change does exist!?

        • -2

          So climate change does exist!?

          Where have I said it doesn't change?

        • So climate change does exist!?

          Of course. What BS have you been swallowing that makes you believe that climate doesn't change? How do you think Ice Ages begin and end?

          • @1st-Amendment:

            What BS have you been swallowing that makes you believe that climate doesn't change?

            See comment above, I never said it didn't, but I get told all the time Climate change isn't real. So which is it?

            • -5

              @JimmyF:

              I get told all the time Climate change isn't real.

              Got some examples?

              So which is it?

              There is more than two options here:

              1. The climate changes naturally, as it has done since the Earth was created.
              2. All climate variations are purely a result of human activity and therefore authoritarianism is now justified in order tO sAvE tHe pLaNeT…
              3. Some mix of 1 and 2.

              I know of no-one that disputes #1
              I know of many, many people who seem to believe #2, who also claim to be 'on the side of science', but strangely can never produce any actual science to support it.
              Then there's number, 3 which also claims to be on the side of science, but strangely no-one can ever say what the specific ratio is of this mix. And if you don't know the specific ratio how can claim that tHe ScIeNcE iS sEtTlEd?

      • Considering how old planet Earth is and we really only started keeping weather records not even 100 years now, you are spot on.

        We should do what we can do reduce our footprint but the planet will always change

  • +3

    There is a fair bit of local variability in humidity and temperature. For example, you can drive somewhere that's 1 hour away and get entirely different temperature and humidity.

    Even within the same city, the environment can significantly affect the temperature and you will feel very different.

    For example, a very shaded street in a valley surrounded by tall hills and with large trees lining it could feel much cooler, and you won't notice the humidity as much. Whereas, a few streets away, a very exposed street with little wind and no trees could be 10 degrees hotter, and you will really notice the humidity more. Or you could be on a hill near the sea and get cool sea breezes all year round.

    • I’ve lived in the same place for 30 years and it feels more humid now than it did back then. Melbourne tended to have a lot of dry heat and we, regularly, got several days over 40 degrees. The last few years we haven’t had as many hot dry days and it certainly feels more humid. Me, I don’t miss the super hot stretches but I could do without the humidity. It saps the energy.

      • I'm the opposite, I love the heat, and I love the humidity. Don't like wearing a lot of clothes, and love being able to jump in the river or sea every day. On the other hand, I have relatives who can't stand the humidity, and need air conditioning all through summer.

        It seems to depend a lot on your body type, and whether you're thin or well-built or overweight. I have a thin, fast-metabolic body type so I can handle the humidity. My overweight, slow-metabolism relatives can't stand the humidity.

        • I’m not so sure about your body type theory. If you go to any Asian country with high humidity they have the air con on almost continuously indoors and most of them are pretty skinny. They, also, tend to avoid walking very far. Made that mistake in Singapore. It was like wading through soup and I got badly chafed.

  • Have you been measuring the humidity with a sensor and taking notes of the result?

    • -1

      Have you been measuring the humidity with a sensor and taking notes of the result?

      I do.
      I have multiple thermometers and barometers around my house, calibrated to ensure consistent readings. I get massive variations in different parts of the house based on time of day/sun/cloud etc, sometimes up to 10 deg C variation within a few metres.
      So whenever I see anyone taking BOM reports seriously I laugh. One or two readings from one or two stations nowhere near my house is a very clumsy way to tell me what weather will be like right here. And even if by sheer luck it matches one part of my house I guarantee it won't match the other.

      Here's simple test you can do (real science!) to show how clumsy the BOM is at reading the weather. Every time you see it start to rain at your house, check the BOM app and see if the it says it's raining. For me a broken clock is more accurate than them. If they can't even get it right in real time, what faith would you put in them getting a 30, 50, 100 year climate prediction right?

  • I dont know. Maybe you could look at some BOM data and see if its a real thing. Humans are notoriously bad at remembering conditions like weather to be able to compare with today. Its probably as a result of you feeling hot and uncomfortable more than actual increased humidity. This is even more likely with the barrage of climate change information coming at us (both science and rhetoric)

    Look at the science bro, then come back and tell us you were right about "feeling" more humidity.

    • Fair point, I did take a look and the BOM's website is absolute crap. There's a report online with historical humidity data but it seems to only go to 2005 so I'll probably need to look more.

      Look at the science bro, then come back and tell us you were right about "feeling" more humidity.

      I'm not trying to say "It's more humid now than it was 40 years ago" nor am I trying to make this a thing about being right or wrong, I'm just trying to gauge what others are feeling.

      Re-reading my original OP it might seem like I'm trying to say it's changed, I could've worded it better. Just saying I feel like it's more humid, does anyone feel the same.

      • I did take a look and the BOM's website is absolute crap

        It is shocking how terrible the app is too. But we should absolutely trust them to predict the weather in 100 years time…

  • Yes - been visiting Melbourne on and off and have noticed it….however my perception may have been skewed traveling down from Brisbane where it is VERY humid. I like to walk outside on hot humid days and watch my AC condensate drain with decent flow.

  • Move to Cradle Mountain: ONLY 300 days of rain….

    • +1

      Do you have a Spear and Jackson shovel?

  • Happening everywhere. Too many people talking rubbish. Just a lot of humid hot air.

  • Have thought/felt in summers with El Nino, its more humid in Canberra during Feb and March.

  • I'd be interested to know what part of the city you are in. As I'm in Melbourne, and don't think it has been humid at all for a long time.

  • +1

    Australia in a few more years:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzb4d8ykSJM

  • same house for 20+ years in western sydney and it defs feel quite more humid since the last big bushfire season (2019/2020?). Been insanely wet since and much more humid.
    Summer rain patterns also seem to have shifted away from being dry and hot with heat building up for a few days then rapid buildup in humidity before a big thunderstorm to more SE Asia-like constant humidity with associated frequent (albeit less intense) rainfall.
    Guess this is what La Nina & Climate change is about. In saying that, whilst the stickiness is mildly annoying the landscape is much lusher and greener now than I've ever seen before so that's refreshing

    • But is it more humid in an ongoing trend, or an anomaly for these couple of years - or were the dry years an anomaly that made us forget it is actualmy quite humid normally?

      • But is it more humid in an ongoing trend, or an anomaly for these couple of years

        The wet/dry/fire cycle has been happening as long as Europeans have been here to measure and record it. The idea that this cycle is now all 100% because we don't all drive Teslas is pure comedy.

        • You seem to be missing the point.

          Long term averages are not comedy.

  • +1

    Blame the BORG…
    The Borg preferred environment is 39.1 °C, with 92% humidity, 102 kPa atmospheric pressure, and trace amounts of tetryon particles, because those conditions are best for the optimal functioning of their cybernetic components and ships.

    • Would explain some of our politicians.

  • Australia's most dominant climate driver, La Niña, has a strong chance of reappearing in 2024, shifting the odds to favour a wet year. Therefore more humid.

    • On 19 September [2023], the Bureau of Meteorology formally announced an El Niño event for Australia during the 2023/2024 summer. This means that parts of Australia will likely experience warmer and drier conditions with minimal rainfall, increasing the risk of heatwaves and fire danger.

        • my comment was merely a floccinaucinihilipilification of BOM's insightless El Nino prediction

          • @Gdsamp: So they got it wrong. All that shows is that our modelling and predictions are not fully representative of our climate. Yhe measurable indicators they used showed it would be el nino, but theres obviosly something else they havent factored in for this prediction. Next time round it'll be a little more accurate.

            • -1

              @Euphemistic:

              All that shows is that our modelling and predictions are not fully representative of our climate.

              Careful, you'll be labelled far-right for making such obvious observations…

              • @1st-Amendment: I would have thought that making a rational response to someone not understanding science was the oppsite of far right.

                • -2

                  @Euphemistic:

                  I would have thought that making a rational response to someone not understanding science was the oppsite of far right.

                  Nope. Rational responses are all far right now. If you question the unreliability of a climate model = far right, If you question the total lifecycle emissions of an EV = far right. If you question whether the Constitution should be changed to give special privileges to some people based on race = far right.

                  Welcome to the club.

                  • @1st-Amendment: Sounds like something a far right conspiracy theorist would say. Rational responses are not at all linked with right wing nut jobs.

                    • -2

                      @Euphemistic:

                      Sounds like

                      'Sounds like' is not a rational position. The is lefty logic in action. eg I feel a certain way and if you disagree you are Hitler etc…

                      • @1st-Amendment: Your giving off real snowflake vibes.

                        • @Euphemistic:

                          Your

                          You're

                          giving off real snowflake vibes.

                          'Vibes' are also not rational. I mistook you for someone that values rational discussion. It's clear now that I made an error of judgement.

          • @Gdsamp: Like the word.

            The trouble is predicting is just that. It would appear we’re seeing a fair bit of instability. The BOM’s 8 ball is probably skewing towards the outlook is cloudy.

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