We are finally feeling like summer here in Vermont and Northern New York. Over the past couple of days, you may have noticed our NBC5 First Warning Weather Team mention the term “dew point” or “humidity” in a weathercast.But what exactly is a dew point, and why does it affect how hot it feels during the summer?According to the National Weather Service, the dew point is the temperature the air needs to be cooled to (at constant pressure) to achieve a relative humidity of 100%. Once the air reaches its relative humidity, it can no longer hold any water in its gas form. That means that if the air were cooled further, water vapor would come out of the atmosphere in liquid form - creating fog or rain.In simpler terms, as the dew point rises, the air can hold more moisture. And more moisture in the air will make the air feel "heavier" and thus more oppressive, especially on an already hot day. A dew point measures how much total water there is in the atmosphere. Therefore, it's harder for your body to cool off in the summer by evaporating sweat. So, to sum up: The lower the dew point, the less muggy the air feels. A dew point under 50 means the air is very dry, whereas a dew point between 50-60 is often thought of as the ideal comfort range for most people.Any dew point higher than 61 degrees will begin to make the air feel heavier and more uncomfortable as the level of moisture hanging in the air begins to rise. When the dew point is over 70 degrees, it can make a hot summer day feel downright oppressive.