Weather Report Temperature - What Actually Do They Mean?

joko | 03:40 Tue 07th Jul 2015 | How it Works

64 Answers

on most weather reports it gives temperatures but also says things like 'feels like 15C' or something and stuff about wind chill etc - but can anyone explain to me what those numbers actually mean - in terms of going out.

i mean, when its 17 C ... is that chilly? warm? hot? cold? - i haven't a clue what it means in reality

i'd like to know how to understand them, and know the days when i need a summer coat, a warm coat or just a little cardi or top - or nothing at all, etc

thanks

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Tilly2

Well, according to my patio thermometer it's 18 degrees, whoever, it's raining so Mr T has put on his Barbour jacket to take Tilly out.

woofgang

alavahalf, you can put it out a window, use it to measure two different spots on a room and so on. In winter I have the probe (two actually) in each box with each tortoise so i can monitor the temperature in their shed and the temperature in the box. If the the two get too close then I add more insulation to the outside of the box, if the box gets too warm, I remove insulation. I use one in my car to make sure that my dogs (who are in the back) are kept cool enough by the AC blowing from the front.

Clanad

The question appears to focus on the meaning of 'wind chill factor' and how it relates to comfort.

Keep in mind that wind chill eans nothing other than the evaporative effect of wind moving over the surface of your bare skin. A breeze blowing across bare epidermis will cause the moisture on the skin to evaporate, which is the same effect on a much less effective scale than how your refrigerator works. The temperature can be (here in the U.S. and other Fahrenheit centric countries) say 70 degrees(F) and yet it will 'feel' cooler than that if the wind is blowing and you have shorts and a tank top on, whereas that same actual air temperature will feel comfortable dressed the same way but with no wind blowing.

The same effect can be caused by riding a bicycle... needn't be the actual wind blowing.

The actual mathmatical conversion of calm air versus wind chill is fairly convoluted, but here's a simple conversion app... http://www.onlineconversion.com/windchill.htm

gingejbee

I had to smile (no laugh actually) at OG's first answer.....long calculation and "you have it in English". Silly comment, given that Gabriel Fahrenheit was German.

stuey

Clanad, my downstairs neighbour, has supplied information on the wind chill, so here is some information on the humidex: http://www.csgnetwork.com/canhumidexcalc.html
It's 28c and 86% humidity right now, and that works out to "feeling" like it's 40c (104f)