The Central Valley is suffering from higher than normal humidity, making our hot temperatures feel even hotter.
We're certainly familiar with triple digits, even 110-degree heat is just part of summer here in Central California.
And usually, people will say things like, 'oh but it's a dry heat.'
It's not dry now, which is why this heat wave feels so much hotter.
Humidity makes heat feel hotter by hampering the body's natural cooling system... sweat.
Sweating isn't as effective in high humidity. Think of trying to dry off with a wet towel.
The effect - making humid air feel hotter - is described by the heat index. Part thermodynamic law, part how people feel, descriptors like the heat index are part of life in the Midwest and Southeast.
But something we have that they don't is evaporative coolers, also known as swamp coolers. These air conditioner alternatives don't sweat to make things cooler, but the idea is close.
Swamp coolers draw air from the outside, force it through damp, porous material and then blows the cooled air into your home.
Evaporative coolers work well in dry temperatures and are much less expensive to operate.
The problem with evaporative coolers is that when there is too much humidity, it feels hotter and they don't help.
Click on the related link to see some tables on Justin's blog to better understand what evaporative coolers can do given the outdoor temperature and humidity.