# Dew point as temperature floor?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dew-point-as-temperature-floor/800456>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 2, 2017, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dew-point-as-temperature-floor/800456 "2017-11-02T01:55:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\
**Post date:** [November 3, 2017, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dew-point-as-temperature-floor/800456/21 "2017-11-03T05:50:22Z")

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> [@excavating\_for\_a\_mind](#):
>
> I think that’s just because you weren’t paying attention. I remember hearing the TV weatherman telling us what the dewpoint was in the 1960’s.

I’ll respectfully disagree, based on my own experiences (I’ve been watching weather forecasts on TV since the early 1970s). From what I’ve seen (and recall), it’s mentioned more regularly, and by more meteorologists, over the past 10-15 years, than it had been in the past.

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**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\
**Post date:** [November 3, 2017, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dew-point-as-temperature-floor/800456/22 "2017-11-03T13:14:20Z")

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Follow the Joules …

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**Author:** ![Orwell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/dfb087/32.png) [@Orwell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orwell)\
**Post date:** [November 3, 2017, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dew-point-as-temperature-floor/800456/23 "2017-11-03T16:10:27Z")

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> [@kenobi\_65](#):
>
> I’ll respectfully disagree, based on my own experiences (I’ve been watching weather forecasts on TV since the early 1970s). From what I’ve seen (and recall), it’s mentioned more regularly, and by more meteorologists, over the past 10-15 years, than it had been in the past.

I agree. Sometime within the past 10 to 20 years, the TV weather forecasters started using dew points when they talk about how muggy it is and/or how it shouldn’t get below x degrees tonight. I have a reasonable understanding of what they mean, but I don’t recall hearing any of them talk about dew points before 2000 or so.

As far as only having a few minutes to explain things, it sure seems to me that the weather segments add up to a huge portion of the local news broadcast. I really don’t need to hear all about upstream conditions, high pressure, low pressure, etc. Just tell me what you think the weather is going to be tomorrow and show the 7-day forecast graphic. There… 8 minutes condensed into 60 seconds.

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