Tampa Among America’s Sweatiest Cities

TAMPA, FL — The unique fragrance wafting through the air in Cigar City as the temperatures soar just might be something more odoriferous than fine tobacco. According to the folks at Honeywell Fans, Tampa is one of “America’s Sweatiest Cities.”

While that’s not exactly good news, it could be worse. Tampa ranks in a respectably low and perhaps less stinky eighth place. The dubious honor of first place went to New York City. Miami even beat out Tampa – with could be a good thing in this instance – with a fourth-place ranking.

Here's a list of the nation's Top 10 sweatiest cities, released this week by the Honeywell Fans company:

1. New York City

2. Washington, D.C.

3. Chicago

4. Miami

5. Boston

6. Philadelphia

7. Atlanta

8. Tampa

9. Houston

10.New Orleans

"The results are in and based on all of the considered factors, New York, N.Y. is expected to be the sweatiest city in the country this summer," Honeywell's research team announced in a press release.

"Ranking first in population density and public transportation usage, and in the top five for percentage of homes without central AC, it's clear why New York City topped this year's list," the company said.

It should be noted that Honeywell's annual ranking relies on a somewhat mysterious data-crunching formula invented by an equally mysterious Massachusetts-based "environmental consulting company" called Environmental Health & Engineering.

But in the Honeywell press release, the scientist explained that "to identify the sweatiest cities across the nation," he combed through records from a number of federal agencies. He said he looked at:

• The percentage of homes without central air conditioning
• The popularity of public transportation and citywide bike sharing programs
• The cities with the 'hottest' professions
• Average summer temperatures
• Population density

With the National Weather Service expecting temperatures in the Tampa Bay area to stick in the low 90s over the next few days, Tampa’s sweaty streak doesn’t look like it will end anytime soon.

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Patch’s Simone Wilson contributed to this story.

Photo courtesy of the City of Tampa Facebook page