Okay. My humidity question has evolved. I've read all the humidity definitions. I realize the air only has to be fully saturated in the clouds to precipitate rain. The part I'm having trouble with is how nice dry air, with rain falling through it, can stay dry. Wouldn't the rain falling through it raise the humidity somewhat? I guess it did some. The humidity was in the 20s before the rain, then in the 40s during the rain. I'm just surprised that's all the difference the rain made. The air is totally full of water and the humidity doesn't even make it to 50%?
From: Steve Taylor [mailto:spt@thetaylorcompany.net]
Sent: Wednesday, December 20, 2006 7:45 PM
To: Bill Taylor (Bill Taylor); David Taylor (David Taylor); Tom Taylor (Tom Taylor)
Subject: meanwhile
Can someone explain to me what relative humidity is? “Relative Humidity”. We all say it, but relative to what? Relative to how much moisture the air can hold at that altitude and temperature? That would be logical to me. How is it that we wake up in the morning in Arizona, it is raining, and the relative humidity is 49%? I got on line. It was raining on the Texas coast too, but the relative humidity there was 99%. Is the rain that much wetter in Texas? Were the raindrops that much farther apart in Arizona? The air was filled with water in both places.
I don’t understand relative humidity.
