Climate vs Urbanization in the South

[krazeeboi]

These factors includes the way most Southern cities are developed b/c outside of New Orleans, Birmingham, and Charleston, most cities don't have a typical street grid layout.

I know I could also throw Savannah, Columbia, and Raleigh in there because they were all planned cities.

[A2]

I lived up North for a while (specifically Philly) and really have to argue that the summers up there were almost just as hot and sticky. Maybe not as long in duration, but certainly not that much different.

One thing that led to the Urbanization of the North versus the South is answered in our History books. Before and after the time of the Civil War the Northern cities were an Industrious Region, and the South's economy was primarily based on Agriculture. This end result gives us the NE megalopolis of today. It was simply started first out of necesity, not based on weather.

In the South the cities that grew first were the cities and towns that were considered trade and commerce posts. Others became cties because they were the capital. Plus a few others (ie Birmingham) grew where raw materials and resources were available, to provide for growth of the country's infaractructure.

Trains really had an impact on the style of development as well. In the north the St Lawrence River region became a boom to the local economy and further west the Missisippi helped further commerce along the country's breadbasket with the advent of the steam powered ships that navigated its murky waters. Cities like Minneapolis, St Louis, and even New Orleans were reliant upon this and their cites developed around their transit and trade options.

Now with the automobile, the advent of the Interstate system was born, and with it, a vast array of different options in which cities developed arose. In cities that were already gridded and bordered by rivers and oceans, the development stayed highly urban. The Interstate merely became a connetor between large cities. (ie I-95)

In the South ,where there were cities and small towns , they just mushroomed into a Suburban Utiopia (ie Atlanta). This proliferation of the Interstate system shaped the cities of the south much more than the north, and as such we have a different level of urbanization than that of the north.

However , we are seeing southern cities become more urban since their populations are exploding and the lessons learned from our sister cities up north provide a perfect layout of what a city should look like with large influxes of people moving in. We will still be southern, but hopefully we can evolve to be more eco-friendly with denser developments, and better transportation alternatives, to give back to the beauty of our region that we all love and enjoy. Bulldozing over forest, farms, and eco systems is not earth friendly and hopefully we have learned the error of our ways and can build upon what we already know.

A2

[distortedlogic]

I was raised in the South, and I hate hot weather. In fact, I like it less now than when I was a kid. To me, temperatures in the 50's are perfect!

Have to agree with that. If it never got above 70 again it would be fine with me! But Even in the north, and especially the Upper Mid-West summer can be, though short; crazy hot! It often gets over 100 in Montana, the Dakota's, Minnesota, etc. Not quite as humid perhaps, but sill, anything over 100 is rediculous. By contrast, Greenville has not hit 100 since summer of 2000, though it could happen this year.

[MR-2]

I would like to interject that tall buildings increase the shade of an urbanized area, and make it much more walkable in hot weather.

[wrldcoupe4]

I know I could also throw Savannah, Columbia, and Raleigh in there because they were all planned cities.

Sorry.. I was out of town but I thought I'd throw in Richmond as well.... just the Fan neighborhood alone is around 90 urban blocks. It can get pretty hot in Central VA but thankfully much of the city's grid layout has plenty of trees lining the streets...helps keep it cool

[Fear of Heights]

The biggest difference I noticed when traveling north (being a lifelong southerner) during this time of year is the nighttime temps and far more frequent fronts and winds. Summer times in the south are not only hot and humid, but the air is very stagnant as well. That's the major difference. The air moves very little unless you are much closer to the sea breeze of the Gulf or Atlantic. This increases the uncomfortable feeling. The nights are far more uncomfortable in comparison as it was actually very comfortable at night the times I've been north. You have fronts coming through the midwest and northeast fairly regularly whereas they simply can't make it south this time of year. The air is sticky and calm with very little breeze. That's what sets the south apart from the north this time of year.

I would argue that very cold air isn't anymore uncomfortable than really hot and humid air in the summer when work attire is concerned. You can always bundle up in cold weather. In hot weather, everything becomes uncomfortable. Your car feels like a mini oven when you first get into it.

[bigboyz05]

Well.. isn't LA growing mostly due to Mexican immigration? I don't know about LA, but I hear that California as a whole loses white collar types and retirees to cheaper areas like Nevada and Arizona due to the high cost of living in California...

A lot of people from California have been pouring into Texas as well. Especially, D/FW, Houston and Austin.

[BillHouseman]

first of all, i'd say that the extremely cold places in the north have the exact same issues and infrastructure-- the underground city in Minneapolis and Montreal, and places like Winnepeg, Calgary and Edmonton are also sprawly cities, it get way too cold to walk around.

[BillHouseman]

The biggest difference I noticed when traveling north (being a lifelong southerner) during this time of year is the nighttime temps and far more frequent fronts and winds. Summer times in the south are not only hot and humid, but the air is very stagnant as well. That's the major difference. The air moves very little unless you are much closer to the sea breeze of the Gulf or Atlantic. This increases the uncomfortable feeling. The nights are far more uncomfortable in comparison as it was actually very comfortable at night the times I've been north. You have fronts coming through the midwest and northeast fairly regularly whereas they simply can't make it south this time of year. The air is sticky and calm with very little breeze. That's what sets the south apart from the north this time of year.

I would argue that very cold air isn't anymore uncomfortable than really hot and humid air in the summer when work attire is concerned. You can always bundle up in cold weather. In hot weather, everything becomes uncomfortable. Your car feels like a mini oven when you first get into it.

You still have unconfortable nights in the North, the difference is that they tend to come in 2 or 3 week blocks, and in early June and late august, you have more comfortable nights. Therefore, you'll have a couple of weeks with lows in the mid 70s, but then you'll have a week with lows around 68-- which is decently comfortable.

[Pillsbury]

^Oh man it hasn't been 68 degrees in Augusta since early June!

[Justiceham]

Well I know here in Murfreesboro, TN the temp hit 100 5 days in a row and there are acres upon acres left to develop.

[sunshine]

Hot weather or extreme cold weather should encourage subway system which go directly under major mall and the exits is inside the mall where people dont even have to go outside, that's the case in Hong Kong and Singapore.

[pyper]

But to be completely honest with you, even some areas of the northern U.S., which get hammered with blizzards during the Winter, are still thriving urban transit centers.

Blizzards don't make you smell bad. Here's my impression of the difference (having experienced both): In the North in the winter you get on your wool suit and your wool coat and you get cold while waiting. Maybe you get a little spray on your pants. You get to where you're going and take off your coat and in 10 minutes or so you feel nice and warm again, ready to face the day. Compare that with the South in the summer: you take off your wool coat and hang onto it as the sweat on your body soaks your shirt and pants from the inside. When you get to the office you're all wet and smell bad, and that dampness kind of hangs on you for the rest of the day.

I run the AC in my car 12 months of the year; I need it to keep the windshield clear. We probably use the AC at home from early May to late September (not every day though). I've been at my parent's house when they had the AC on for Christmas (they live further south).

If it weren't for the humidity it wouldn't be so bad. On a typical summer day when you go outside at 8:30 AM it looks like it's rained. It's just all the dew. I'm convinced that the RH goes to 100% every night as it cools off. Sometimes we run our house without AC if it's cooling off at night, and we end up with moisture condensing on the walls

[flith]

I'm convinced that the RH goes to 100% every night as it cools off. Sometimes we run our house without AC if it's cooling off at night, and we end up with moisture condensing on the walls

That's called the Dew Point.

[sanka]

having lived in the south east and the midwest...

I would MUCH RATHER walk 2 miles in a midwest winter than 1/2 mile in a southern summer....

you can always bundle up in the winter to stay warm...

does not matter how naked you are in a southern summer...you're still HOT...and that sucks.

[kayman]

having lived in the south east and the midwest...

I would MUCH RATHER walk 2 miles in a midwest winter than 1/2 mile in a southern summer....

you can always bundle up in the winter to stay warm...

does not matter how naked you are in a southern summer...you're still HOT...and that sucks.

Very true. It is even 10x worse living in a city like Birmingham in a giant valley in that summer heat. You want to scream.