Debunking A Summer Myth – Noon Is Not The Hottest Time Of Day

It's the last week of June 2019, summer is here, and we're looking at the first heat wave of the year.

A lot of people plan their summer days to capitalize on the best times to be outside, taking a break around noon to sneak in some indoor time during the peak of the day's heat.

But, if your goal is to grab some A/C at the hottest time of the day, 12 p.m. isn't the time to do that.

It's logical to think that way, the sun is at its peak at noon after all, but the halfway point of the day is also only about the halfway point of the day's temperature rise.

According to the website Ask an Astronomer (which I could easily spend hours on!):

...Noon is when you have the most direct sunlight*, and that's what's responsible for heating up the atmosphere. But, just as water doesn't start boiling the second you put it over a flame, it takes time for the atmosphere to heat up. So the hottest time of day is some time in the afternoon.

The Old Farmer's Almanac elaborates further, putting the peak of the day's temperature around 3 p.m.

So, if you're planning your summer days to spend the most time outdoors as you can while strategically avoiding the absolute peak of the day's heat, you might want to plan for a later lunch, and then have at it once again in the later afternoon when the heat of the day starts to exit.

And, if you're looking for some great ideas for summer in Ocean County, click here for WOBM's Summer Scoop presented by Rutgers Athletics!