SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — There’s been a taste of summer on the air with warm temperatures and higher humidity as dew point temperatures have reached the 60s in parts of KELOLAND.

By definition, the dew point is the temperature at which the air is completely saturated and can’t hold any more moisture. Higher dew points mean more moisture can be held in the atmosphere.
We tend to focus on the dew point, because that is a more accurate way to show how comfortable it may be.

Using this chart as a guide, when the dew point temperature reaches 60 degrees and above, that’s usually moisture we can feel and we get uncomfortable. As a side note, a 60 degree dew point is a sign for me to turn on the air conditioner and I have this week.

We feel uncomfortable because it’s harder for the body to cool off with higher dew points. The moist air slows down the sweat evaporation. So the body has a harder time cooling off, which in turn makes us feel more uncomfortable.

The good thing about higher dew points is it tends to increase our chances for rain, which is what many have been looking for. Unfortunately, severe weather chances also go up with the higher dew points.
We’ll lose the higher humidity as dew point temperatures are expected to slowly go down by Sunday.