It's Sure HOT In SWT

[Ilovthevu']

Whenever I take a trip to the SWT at SFGAm, it feels like your in a different world. The sun beats down on me through this portion like no other. My theory is that the sun reflects off of the light pavement and comes back up. In other areas of the park, it is black so it's not as bad.
Do you believe that it is the hottest area?

They did this area so good to feel like the South West that it has become people's favorite area. The only thing that I don't like about the area is that they "hid" the Trailblaizer in the building. I would also love to see a mine train in the future though. Also, I am glad that they cut down the long grass by Viper. The mosquitos would get you at night. They probably still will, but not as much as before.

[SfGaMownz]

I don't think its the pavement because the sun is attracted to dark things like black pavement. The most logical reason would be that there isn't many buildings blocking the sun which means that the sun will hit you more often than not.

[coasterdude12]

I've never felt very hot in SWT. The climate is the same all around the park. The only difference is in Yankee Harbor where all the water make it about 2 degrees cooler

[Ilovthevu']

At night or earlier morning, you won't feel it.

[yeti_cat]

The Lightness would make it brighter but not hotter. I do know what you feel though, it does seem hotter. But I'd have to agree that its probably because of the lack of trees and buildings to block the sun from the path.

[planea380]

Thatis why they have the coldest Waer fountains in the park.

"Make sense?"Dj

[twixmix0303]

I've never felt very hot in SWT. The climate is the same all around the park. The only difference is in Yankee Harbor where all the water make it about 2 degrees cooler

You mean temp.

Anyways, I think SWT is warmer just because of the fact that there aren't any trees, really. Viper's shades are nice. I haven't ridden GD since they've put them in.

[Ilovthevu']

The way I feel of it is like this. Wear a dark shirt anywhere outside during the day and you will feel hot. Next day, wear a light shirt, and you won't feel as hot as the dark shirt.

The dark ground does the same thing. It takes in the heat while the light colored ground gives it off.

If any of you have been to Racing Rapids (waterpark in Dundee) or any other waterpark that has the same situation, you will see what I'm talking about. Racing Rapids has black pavement and tan. If you step on the black pavement, it feels like your feet are burning (without sandals or shoes). On the other pavement, your feet are not hot at all. The black pavement absorbs the heat.

There are trees around the park, but it's not like a forest unless you are talking about Whizzer and IW.

[Aero737]

Blacktop pavement aborbs all the light that hits it (hence the reason it is black-Physics 101). This light is then turned into kenetic energy (heat). Lighter coloured pavement (like in SWT) will reflect more light and will feel cooler.

It isnt acually hotter in SWT, it just seems that way. In Yankee Harbor I wouldnt think to be cooler. A body of water needs to be very large (larger than a river) in order to create microscale weather conditions. A small retaining pool that has been warmed to near ambient temerature probably wont make a lot of a difference when it comes to cooling. The bodies of water in great america arn't big enough to create fog (a fairly good sign that they are too small to cool the air-Fog needs a cooling effect).

[twixmix0303]

coloured pavement

The French spelling

[Ilovthevu']

If it reflects light, why would it be more cooler? The sun heats it and the heat therefore has to go somewhere. Wouldn't it be closer to people? It's not going to bounce all the way back high up in the atmosphere. The higher you go, the cooler it is, so it can't bounce that high.

[twixmix0303]

When the light is reflected off the light pavement, it isn't abosrbed, and the pavement stays cooler. When the light hits the dark pavement it is absorbed and turned into heat, so the dark pavement is warmer than the light pavement

[Ilovthevu']

The "pavement" feels cooler, but the once heat that the sun gave in the first place has to go somewhere (in the air where people are walking). With the black pavement, the heat stays on the ground.

[playerplex]

I've always noticed that it is hotter in SWT too. It's perfect for the theming.

[Aero737]

If it reflects light, why would it be more cooler? The sun heats it and the heat therefore has to go somewhere. Wouldn't it be closer to people? It's not going to bounce all the way back high up in the atmosphere. The higher you go, the cooler it is, so it can't bounce that high.

Acually, yes it will bounce back up. It's called planetary albedo and it takes place when light bounces off white clouds (or in this case-pavement) and back into the upper atmosphere/space.

Crop lands have a very high albedo rate hence the reason why it is always cooler in the country than in the city (the city also retains heat in dark pavement).

Back when Astro Turf was popular, the temperature on a hot sunny day on the field would regularly reach 130 degrees plus. This was because so much light was absorbed into the turf and radiated back as kenetic energy (heat). If the light were to just bounce back off it would be still potential (when refering to heat- Light could be called kenetic because it is formed in the burning/fission of hydrogen in the sun).

Light isn't heat unless it is absorbed.


EDIT: Also, the higher you go the cooler it gets only for a period. About 10 km up at the Tropopause it acually starts to warm back up. It warms back up to almost surface levels before falling again the the mesosphere (at the mesopause). It then warms again (to over 200 degrees) in the Thermosphere. This takes place because of the absorbtion of light by ozone and the breakdown and constant formation of ozone and new ozone. The thermosphere gets hot just because it is so high up and space is a hot place sometimes.

[SFGAm Rules]

I always have noticed that it is hotter is SWT. It makes you feel like you are actually in the old west.

Also, what happened to that water pump? Now all that is there are a big empty trough and a sign that says "DO NOT DRINK THE WATER".

[Ilovthevu']

I'm guessing that people were drinking the water, or splashing it at others. They also use to have water under the River Rocker, now they just have it painted blue. Maybe, someone cracked the pump, or they changed it because it's the SW (more a feeling of being hot without water). I'm just glad they got rid of annoying Rainmaker guy.

[SFGAm Rules]

Although I really didn't care that much for the Rainmaker show myself, it was kind of nice for families with little kids. I would always see kids having fun doing things on the stage with the props and thinking that the guy had actually made it rain. I think that the reason they took it out was because it coat too much to pay the guy to do something that really won't bring people into the park. It would be nice if they could come up something more cost effective to put in that spot.

I just thought of something, this topic says that SWT is hotter than other territories. Do you think that this is why they put the rainmaker in SWT? It's wasn't there for theming. How many times have you heard of guys making rain magically appear in the old west?

[Ilovthevu']

A Super Sizzler would be perfect for that area (spot). It would liven it up just a little bit. The name is perfect and the ride is even greater. (Trust me, it looks much better than how the second picture shows it at night.)
http://www.flatrides.com/Ride%20Index%2 ... zzler.html

The Hometown Machine would have to go then because it similiar. This ride is probably the in worst location at the park anyway.

About the other thing, people don't believe me that it's hotter in SWT, so I can't answer that.

[SFGAm Rules]

I don't think it would be worth it to take out Hometown Fun Machine to put in that ride. Remember I said, "cost effective". Fun machine is still popular on fairly crowded days. To make it more popular the entrance should be moved out more so the GP would notice it. It's not a bad location, just a hidden entrance.

[Ilovthevu']

If they wanted to, they could sell the HFM and buy the Super Sizzler. They wouldn't be paying that much for it. I'm sure someone would pick that ride up fast. It's a way better ride, and it appeals to an older audience. A couple or so flats are "mainly" for teenagers, the rest are "mainly" for kids. So, why not add another one.

It's a really good ride though. I do have to say that I go on the HFM sometimes and it's nothing like Kiddieland's. Every ride is crowded on really crowded days. The rides that have a good sized line on non-packed days are the rides people really like.

[Ron/Wolf]

The SouthWest Territory is the coolest area of the park. Blacktop is horrible just leaving the SWT the temp. goes up like 5 degrees. Parks in Hot climates Like Busch Gardens Williamsburg use anything but blacktop so you are cooler there.

[Cove26flags]

There is no trees in the SWT.

[Virtua Tennis]

Minimal, but can't complain when it's a southwest theme.

[coastrcorey]

Yeah sometimes it does feel a bit hotter in SWT. But, I guess it adds to the already amazing themeing!