youngbeginner

I like how you actually know your weather! But in all seriousness, many places can go through heat waves or "humidity waves" in which the temp is around 95 and the humidity around the high 90s, especially if there is a high over an area with the jet stream above and a cold front is moving in from any direction. The temp may peak in the middle of the duration, but the last few days can be hell because of the humidity spike.

RoadMike

I don't wear gloves on the road at all, and I never mtb without full finger padded gloves.

rpenmanparker 

I understand your skepticism regarding my assertion that such combinations of temperature and humidity as "95-95" are essentially unknown (or at least extremely rare). In support of my contention there is a chart from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration listing the "heat index" of combinations of temperature and humidity. You can find it at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat_index. Notice that combinations such as you claim are not even listed. They are so dangerous that cycling in such conditions would be nearly impossible.

Take this example: if the temperature at sunrise is 78 degrees F (very warm climate like Houston and New Orleans) and the relative humidity is as high as possible, 100%, i.e. the dew point is the same as the temperature at sunrise. As the temperature rises during the day, the RH goes down since warmer air can hold more water vapor than cooler air. By the time the temperature has reached 95 degrees, the RH must have dropped significantly. In fact it would be 58% assuming that no additional water vapor entered the air. You can find this calculation here: https://andrew.rsmas.miami.edu/bmcnoldy/Humidity.html. The RH number may or may not be exactly correct depending upon some additional moisture entering the air as the temperature rises, but it is very uncommon for the actual humidity to increase very much as the temperature rises during the day. The most significant effect with the increasing temperature is the dropping RH. Supposing due to additional moisture evaporating into the air, the RH only drops to 70%. Well that is what I have been saying is the usual limiting case. Oh, and of course, when the temperature dropped again overnight, that excess moisture would come out as fog. In the summer? How often does that occur? Once again it is very common for people to hear the highest RH and the highest temperature experienced during the same day and think they occurred at the same time. That is just not true in the vast majority of cases.

You can see from the heat index chart that such a situation as 95 degrees and 95% humidity would provide a heat index of something like 150-155, just approximating from the incomplete chart. When have you ever heard of such a heat index outside of Death Valley (where the heat index is due mostly to temperature and the RHs are miniscule)? Are you telling me you have experience riding under those conditions. That would make you a true shtarker. I salute you.

rpenmanparker 

youngbeginner, BTW I just found this article about extreme heat and humidity in the northeast US on 7/19/2013. Notice how moderate the RHs are compared to your claims:Hottest day: Humidity reaches obscene range, heat breaks records

By Jason Samenow, Published: July 19 at 11:12 amE-mail the writer

The summer’s longest, most extreme heat wave extends to its fifth day, cooking the Great Lakes, Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. For Washington, D.C., under an excessive heat warning, today may well be the most brutal, with heat indices approaching 110 degrees.
141 million people under heat advisories and warnings
USA Today reports 23 states and 141 million people are under advisories and warnings. The most intense heat and humidity coincides with the I-95 corridor from Richmond to Boston.
Heat advisories shaded in orange, excessive heat warnings in magenta. (National Weather Service)

From Richmond to New York City, the humidity levels are particularly unbearable, with dew points in the upper 70s to around 80 degrees
Dew points at 11 a.m. (National Weather Service)

Dead Roman

I think they keep me from rubbing hotspots on my hands. Ive ridden without, certainly un enjoyable. Like the sweat/snot wipes built in.

youngbeginner

Well, I think I've been beat. My apologies. I used to love studying weather, but that was when I was 8 years old so...