Humidity

 The air in a rain forest is humid, the air in a desert is dry. People like to say
that it's not the heat that bothers them, it's the humidity. They say this because
when it is humid, or when there is a lot of water in the air, the heat feels hotter.
 A measure of the amount of water in the air.
 Water is added to the air by the process of EVAPORATION.
Basic Concepts(review)

 Evaporation adds vapor to the air.

 When a liquid is heated and changes from a liquid to a gas.
 Condensation removes vapor from the air.
 When water vapor cools and changes from a gas to a liquid.
Water Vapor facts:

 Water Vapor Cools AND Warms the Climate System? When water evaporates
from the surface of the Earth, it cools the surface. This keeps the surface from
getting too hot. But because that water vapor is also the atmosphere's
primary greenhouse gas, water vapor acts to keep the Earth's surface warmer
than it would otherwise be.
 So which effect is stronger, water vapor's cooling effect or warming effect?
Interestingly, it is seldom mentioned in the global warming debate that the
surface cooling effect of evaporation (which creates water vapor) is stronger
than its greenhouse warming effect.
Types of Humidity

 Absolute Humidity
 Relative Humidity
 Specific Humidity
Absolute humidity

 Absolute humidity (expressed as grams of water vapor per cubic meter

volume of air) is a measure of the actual amount of water vapor (moisture)
in the air, regardless of the airs temperature. The higher the amount
(weight) of water vapor per kilogram, the higher the absolute humidity.
 The maximum absolute humidity of warm air at 30°C/86°F is
approximately 30g of water vapor. (30 g/m3)
 The maximum absolute humidity of cold air at 0°C/32°F is approximately
5g of water vapor. (5 g/m3)
Relative humidity

 RELATIVE HUMIDITY is the amount of water in the air compared to the

amount of water the air could possibly hold.
 Humidity values are usually given as Relative Humidity.
Saturation

 If the air is SATURATED, it is holding ALL of the water that it can hold.
 WARM air expands and can hold more water vapor than COLD air, so it
takes more water to saturate warm air.
 If the air is saturated, its Relative Humidity is 100%, and if the temperature
drops PRECIPITATION will occur.
Specific Humidity

 It is the ratio of mass of water vapours actually present in the air to a unit
mass of air including the water vapour (dry air + moisture).
 It is expressed as grams of water vapour per kg of moist air mass.
 The maximum specific humidity at 20°C is approximately 15g per kg.
 The maximum specific humidity at 30°C is approximately 26 g per kg and
at -10°C, it is 2 g per kg.
REFERENCES:

o http://class.atmos.ucla.edu/AS3/scrns/pdf_files/05humidity.aos3.notes.pdf
o http://www.weatherquestions.com/What_is_water_vapor.html
o Gribbin, J. E. (2014). Introduction to hydraulics and hydrology with
applications for storm water management(3rd Ed.)
o https://www.infoplease.com/science/weather/weather-moisture-and-humidity
HUMIDITY: Geographic Important Phases of Hydrologic cycle
FORMATION, FORMS(PHILLIPPINE SETTING),
TYPES AND ARTIFICIALLY INDUCED

Submitted to

Engr. Donabel Demdam

Written Report

By

Jl Carl Joanic D. Del Rosario

January 2018