General Question

anthony81212's avatar

What happens when Humidity reaches 100%?

Asked by anthony81212 (389points) September 21st, 2008

Inspired by this question

Weather forecasts always show the expected humidity levels for today, but I wonder, what would happen if the humidity level reaches 100%?

More important: Would we all drown?

Observing members: 0 Composing members: 0

20 Answers

gailcalled's avatar

Isn’t that called “rain”?

asmonet's avatar

The earth takes a shower.

xioioix's avatar

100% humidity would result in low level clouds and or fog.

gailcalled's avatar

I am wrong. Harp will explain.

Harp's avatar

First, I think you’re talking about relative humidity. Relative humidity is “relative” because it’s tied to temperature. Warm air can hold more water in vapor form than cool air can, so it takes less water to saturate cool air than warm.

100% relative humidity is the point at which the air can hold no more water vapor. Liquid water left out would be unable to evaporate at all. If the temperature were to lower even a tiny bit, some of the water vapor in the air would be forced to condense back into liquid water, and you’d get precipitation, fog, or dew.

asmonet's avatar

My bad. Harp is clearly more genius on this subject than I.

Les's avatar

Damn. Harp beat me to it. Maybe there is more than one resident meteorologist on Fluther.

Nimis's avatar

Asm: Don’t feel bad. Harp is clearly more genius about everything than most people.

AstroChuck's avatar

100% humidity is called “fog”.

Les's avatar

@AC:Not necessarily.

marinelife's avatar

As I know here in Florida, depending on the temperature, it can precipitate out onto cars, objects, plants, etc., especially this time of year.

Jreemy's avatar

The air becomes fully saturated and it sucks outside. But yeah, it can result in different types of precipitate (aqueous not the chemical type).

gooch's avatar

You will sweat out of control!!!

Harp's avatar

Yeah, the reason 100% humidity feels so godawful is that an important part of our bodies’ temperature control system can no longer function. We rely on the cooling effect of the evaporation of the sweat from our skin to cool us off in hot weather, but if the relative humidity is at 100%, the sweat can’t evaporate, so it does nothing to cool us off. You might as well be wearing a rubber suit. The body’s response is to send out even more sweat. I grew up in Houston, so I had ample opportunity to study the phenomenon

fireside's avatar

When humidity reaches 100% my hair gets frizzy.

Not sure that’s what you wanted to know, though…

8lightminutesaway's avatar

damn, this would have been the perfect question to make me feel smart, but alas, I was too late.

gailcalled's avatar

@Eight: But you know how long it takes for light to travel from the sun to the earth. That’s not in everyone’s bag of tricks.

8lightminutesaway's avatar

my self-esteem just jumped 5 points ;)

evelyns_pet_zebra's avatar

when the humidity reaches 100%, I start to get moldy. Mildew between your toes is so darn itchy!

FrankHebusSmith's avatar

Easy, you’re in Ohio during the summer.

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