Harv's Corner 06/22/2026

Harv's Corner

Mosquitoes!
Are they bugging you?  Here's why

By Chris DeWeese 

Lead Editor The Weather Channel

Good Morning. It’s late June, and I just found myself wondering if I’m actually … a mosquito. Let me explain. Like many of you, I’ve always had a vague understanding that the little bloodsuckers love warm, muggy weather. But after an otherwise lovely family dinner out on the deck was blighted by the frequent appearances of a swarm that was also ready to feast, I decided it was time to dig into the data to try to understand when we can avoid being dinner while eating dinner.

What I found was not encouraging, because it turns out that mosquitoes have basically the same temperature preferences I do. Hence, my brief wondering if I might, in fact, be a mosquito. Basically, between 50 and 94 degrees Fahrenheit, it’s game on for mosquitoes, while if the mercury hits 95, they won’t bother flying. And I have to say: Same here. 95 degrees and higher, and I’m canceling any and all outdoor plans.

Here’s the good news: There actually are two other weather triggers that have the advantage of being generally tolerable to humans yet repellent to mosquitoes: wind speed and dew point. Because mosquitoes weigh almost nothing, a steady breeze is the aerodynamic equivalent of a hurricane to them, so if your forecast shows sustained winds of just 10 mph or higher, they won't even attempt to fly. The other thing to watch for is the dew point. If you see a day where it drops below 60 degrees, it means the air is crisp and dry, which poses an existential threat to mosquitoes, which dehydrate very, very quickly. You can find your dew point in our hourly forecast.

​Good luck, and here’s to all of us finding a few extra itch-free outdoor hours this summer, all thanks to knowing a little bit more about mosquitoes.