Least Humid States

Humidity affects our daily lives in ways most scarcely understand – cooling or warming the air, determining the conditions we encounter outdoors, indirectly influencing our health and comfort. It's an integral, if under appreciated, factor shaping our overall quality of life.

By factoring the average amount of water vapor present in the air relative to the maximum it can hold at the same temperature, we've ranked each state on a scale from the driest to the most humid. 

• According to the data, arid Western states such as Nevada and Arizona are among the least humid states in the U.S., with an average relative humidity of 38.3% and 38.5% respectively. This low humidity is a result of these states' geographical locations inland and away from practically any large bodies of water.
• States with highest humidity are found either at the southern tip of the U.S. or far north. Florida and Louisiana from the South and Alaska from the far North have among the highest average humidity, with Florida at 74.5% and Alaska topping the charts at 77.1%.
• States such as Utah, New Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming, largely distinguished by their desert and subalpine climates, register among the lowest humidity levels, ranging between 45.9% and 57.1%.
• Despite being a snowy tundra, Alaska has the highest average humidity in the U.S., proving that humidity isn't just a warm-weather phenomenon.

Nevada claims the title as the least humid state with an average relative humidity of just 38.3%. Arizona is not far behind with an average relative humidity level of 38.5%. Similar to Nevada, the dry desert climate and the fact that it's landlocked account for its low humidity. 

New Mexico, third on the list, has a slightly higher average relative humidity of 45.9%. Other less humid states, each with its unique geographical and climatic characteristics, include Utah (51.7%), Colorado (54.1%), and Wyoming (57.1%). Utah's lower humidity level can be primarily attributed to its high elevation and arid climate. Colorado, best known for its mountainous terrain and semi-arid climate, and Wyoming, with its continental and semi-arid climate, both register comparably low humidity levels.

Further down the list, we have Montana (60.4%), California (61.0%), Idaho (62.4%), and Oklahoma (64.0%). While Montana and Idaho have varying topographical features, they both generally have a semi-arid climate. California, though it has a coastline, still presents a lower humidity due to its Mediterranean climate in the south and significant desert areas. Oklahoma has the highest relative humidity on this list but remains comparatively dry due to its continental climate.

10 Least Humid States:

1. Nevada - 38.3%
2. Arizona - 38.5%
3. New Mexico - 45.9%
4. Utah - 51.7%
5. Colorado - 54.1%
6. Wyoming - 57.1%
7. Montana - 60.4%
8. California - 61.0%
9. Idaho - 62.4%
10. Oklahoma - 64.0%