This is a great explanation. In NZ our temp is 0-30°C on average, but it is an island with very high humidity. Bliss is between 15-24°C.
Everything over 24°C is hot, muggy, sweaty and oppressively hot, the temperature in the shade is the same as the sun because of the humidity, you can not hide from the heat.
In the winter 10°C and below chills you to the bone, you can feel the water in the air and the same thing, you can't really hide from it because the air is wet everywhere.
I never really realised how it was different in the rest of the world till I lived through the seasons in places with larger land mass and drier air/less humidity through the seasons.
In inland Canada and Midwest USA for example.
I loved winter because it may be -30°C but I wasn't cold because the air wasn't wet. It just felt like I was standing in front of cold air conditioning, it didn't chill me to the bone or sap my energy like it did in NZ above 0°C because the air was dry.
Summer the same 30-40°C was hot but not oppressive, you could get out of the heat because it was actually cooler in the shade, and you could cool yourself sweating.
I'll take extreme temps in a dry climate any day over the high humidity here in NZ.
I suppose this is why we have two temperature readings for the weather here, especially for the tourists.
The actual temp in °C and then another "feels like °C" after taking the humidity into account.
TheRobotFromSpace t1_j0nrs8a wrote
Reply to comment by [deleted] in How does high humidity affect perceived temperature in hot and cold environments? by MindTheReddit
This is a great explanation. In NZ our temp is 0-30°C on average, but it is an island with very high humidity. Bliss is between 15-24°C. Everything over 24°C is hot, muggy, sweaty and oppressively hot, the temperature in the shade is the same as the sun because of the humidity, you can not hide from the heat. In the winter 10°C and below chills you to the bone, you can feel the water in the air and the same thing, you can't really hide from it because the air is wet everywhere.
I never really realised how it was different in the rest of the world till I lived through the seasons in places with larger land mass and drier air/less humidity through the seasons. In inland Canada and Midwest USA for example. I loved winter because it may be -30°C but I wasn't cold because the air wasn't wet. It just felt like I was standing in front of cold air conditioning, it didn't chill me to the bone or sap my energy like it did in NZ above 0°C because the air was dry. Summer the same 30-40°C was hot but not oppressive, you could get out of the heat because it was actually cooler in the shade, and you could cool yourself sweating.
I'll take extreme temps in a dry climate any day over the high humidity here in NZ. I suppose this is why we have two temperature readings for the weather here, especially for the tourists. The actual temp in °C and then another "feels like °C" after taking the humidity into account.