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'Feels like'

  • 05-06-2014 9:49am
    #1
    HeadPig
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 332 ✭✭


    Can someone explain the 'Feels like' reading often given on weather websites? Eg 32C,feels like 36C. I'd imagine it has to do with humidity etc but is it scientific and how is it calculated. Just generally curious


Comments

  • #2
    Lumi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,466 ✭✭✭Lumi


    HeadPig wrote: »
    Can someone explain the 'Feels like' reading often given on weather websites? Eg 32C,feels like 36C. I'd imagine it has to do with humidity etc but is it scientific and how is it calculated. Just generally curious

    The “Feels Like” temperature takes factors such temperature, cloud cover, humidity, wind speed etc. into account to determine how the temperature actually feels outside. Most forecast service providers use an equation based on these factors but it is not standardised across the boards

    The UKMO have a nice little explainer on how they calculate 'real feel' here
    We calculate a ‘feels like temperature by taking into account the expected air temperature, relative humidity and the strength of the wind at around 5 feet (the typical height of an human face) combined with our understanding of how heat is lost from the human body during cold and windy days.


    On windy days the speed of moisture evaporation from your skin increases and serves to move heat away from your body making it feel colder than it actually is. The exception to this rule, however, is when higher temperatures are concerned. At higher temperatures, wind chill is considered far less significant. Instead humidity plays a greater role. When a human being perspires, the water in his or her sweat evaporates. This results in the cooling of the body as heat is carried away from it. When humidity is high, the rate of evaporation and cooling is reduced, resulting in it feeling hotter than it actually is.

    Using these facts we use a formula to adjust the air temperature based on our understanding of wind chill at lower temperatures, heat index at higher temperatures and a combination of the two in between.
    Accuweather use a slightly different equation incorporating humidity, cloud cover, winds, sun intensity and angle of the sun.


  • #3
    Clonmel1000
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,047 ✭✭✭Clonmel1000


    Feels like mid April here at the moment. 7 degrees this morning and no good weather on horizon


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