Between ‘bomb cyclones’ and polar blasts, many Aussies have been shivering through what have felt like bitingly cold mornings and nights.
But what the weather feels like and what the actual temperature is don’t always align.
This temperature signifies the level of warmth or coolness an adult might experience outdoors in the shade and is determined by considering the ambient temperature, wind chill, and humidity.
Wind chill can make it feel colder, while humidity makes it feel warmer.
As a result, the ‘feels like’ temperature can be higher, lower or the same as the ambient temperature.
Who calculates the ‘feels like’ temperature?
Meteorologists at the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) calculate the ‘feels like’ temperature using a specific formula.
The equation is AT = Ta + 0.33E – 0.7WS – 4 where:
- ‘AT’ is the apparent temperature or ‘feels like’ temperature
- ‘Ta’ is the ambient temperature
- ‘E’ is the water vapour pressure, a measure of humidity
- ‘WS’ is the current wind speed
By inserting the ambient temperature, water vapor pressure, and wind speed measurements into the formula, meteorologists can determine the ‘feels like’ temperature.
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Is the ‘feels like’ temperature an official measurement?
Yes, though its official name is ’apparent temperature’.
Should I dress based on the ‘feels like’ temperature?
The ‘feels like’ temperature reflects how the weather outside will feel to the human body, and you can typically rely on it to guide your clothing choices.
That said, the ‘feels like’ temperature is calculated based on the temperature in the shade and doesn’t take the effect of direct sunlight into account.
As a result, you may feel hotter in the sun than the ‘feels like’ temperature predicts and should dress accordingly if you plan to be in direct sunlight.
