Fighting the heatwave, mountain style...

Today, I will bore to death you with some interesting weather-related information. Our house in Park City sit at an altitude of 6,745' that stands 2,519' higher than Salt Lake City International Airport.

During a typical summer heatwave, like the one we've experienced for most of July, our daily top temperatures in Park City average around 84 degree Fahrenheit while Salt Lake's equivalent temperatures are more like 97. The difference between the two places is about 13 degree.

Night is a totally different story. We live in a high desert and extremely dry climate, so nights in higher elevation and minimal pollution (ozone, etc.) get much colder if the skies stay clear.

This in fact is the main reason why mountain living is so wonderful up in the mountains, during that same heatwave as savvy homeowners can aerate interior at nights to feel a very cool temperature in the morning and keep their house comfortable most of the day.

Early morning, when the temperature is the lowest, it's only 55 degree in Park City while it's still a balmy 75 in Salt Lake; that's a huge 20 degree difference!

Compare this with the normal decrease in temperature as one gains elevation on the table and you'll see why smart folks will move higher and higher up in the mountains as global warming takes hold on the planet!