Jul 17, 2007 4:43 pm US/Eastern
WeatherWise: Dew Point The Key To Bad Hair Day
by Mish Michaels
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
What is dew point?
Here's the technical definition: the temperature to which air must be cooled to reach saturation. It sounds tricky but it's really very simple.
Take a chunk of air today: The temperature is 80 degrees and the dew point is 60 degrees Fahrenheit. If you cooled the air down to 60 degrees, it would reach saturation and, ta dah! A little cloud would form!
Another way to look at dew point: It is a measure of the amount of moisture in the air. And your hair can track the change.
When the dew point is high, such as 70 degrees, there is lots of moisture in the air. Strands of hair absorb the moisture, so forget about style! Curly hair like mine gets big; thin, straight hair gets really flat!
On the charts, a dew point of 70 gets you a bad hair day.
When the dew point is low, around 50 degrees, there is less moisture for your hair to absorb. You are in control of your hair style. So a dew point of 50 and you have a good hair day!
Now if you have no hair, dew point can be a bit confusing. So here's another way to look at it.
It is a measure of your comfort level. When the dew point is low, the air is dry and refreshing. When the dew point creeps into the 60s, it starts to feel humid. When the dew point hits 70 -- forget about it, you are stuck in the sticky zone.
You can practically feel the air around you! And you can see it, too.
So let's test your dew point IQ.
What is the dew point today in my hometown of Calcutta, India? Eighty-one degrees -- off the charts -- about as soupy and sticky as it gets.
And what about the dew point today at the Grand Canyon? Forty-nine degrees -- you can have good hair for your hike.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
Comments