How does, what if feels like, weather work?

There is a formula they use that factors in humidity.

It “feels hotter” when your perspiration doesn’t evaporate quickly due to humidity.

I agree—I think they should just have a “misery level”—ALL excessive heat feels terrible, like a nuclear holocaust. But I think dry heat at 113 feels better than a humid day at 113,

It’s the same sort of thing as the “ wind chill factor” in the winter.

Just a guess here, it depends on wind chill and humidity.

Good question “feels like” is unscientific term for the reason you pointed out.

Seems to me it could be (and I expect, is) scientifically calculated, as physics & chemistry have math for the rate of heat transfer between bodies and air in different conditions.

Yes. Humidity, can make a hot day near unbearable. Wind chill sucks, but I don’t usually deal with it down south…..

It’s definitely a “how it’s going to feel thing.”

I’ve been in 110’s, in the desert. It’s nothing like the 110’s, in the south. It’s suffocating, when humidity is a factor…..

The Heat Index is not subjective, it is based on two measurable factors, temperature and humidity. How heat is experienced however is subjective, you might be comfortable at 85F you might be uncomfortable at 80F the Heat Index gives you a number to which you can relate given your previous experience.

Some people move away from the “to die for weather-wise” places to cold countries and vice-versa, some love the humid factor some love the dry (not referring to the ones who need to move for health reasons) factor. So, how can they get to the number when they say “it’s going to feel like”?

Again, a specific mathematical formula that factors in humidity and wind velocity.

Well, but there is a problem with presenting “how it feels” as ONE temperature number, because as @flo just pointed out, how weather feels is more complex than temperature, and each person will have different norms of what feels hot or uncomfortable to them that has to do with humidity as well as temperature.

So to be meaningful to someone’s experience, they probably need to translate into the temperatures and humidities they are familiar with. For example, someone familiar with Seattle weather will tend to be familiar with humid cold weather and dry hot weather, so a curved two-dimentional transform will be needed to translate “feels like” numbers if those are based on some constant humidity.

I imagine pressure might also have an effect, so people used to high elevations might also need a different transform applied.

Yes, _feels like to whom__.

To me, if its over 78 degrees and is humid, it feels like shit. But they never use that standard on the news.

But the news reports that it’s 78 and humid. What more do you want it to do?

The report should just say, “The temperature is going to be x and the humidity is going be y,” and after a while, each person will get to know from experience, which numbers will feel like what to himself /herself, and which numbers will feel like what to a member of the family with menopause, and so on.

It has no meaning whatsoever to me they’re just numbers. I step outside and feel it and act accordingly.
It’s like “Rick! It’s supposed to be 24 today! Should I wear my coat?” I go outside, it’s colder than hell, I put my coat on.