Monday, July 8, 2013

I'm With Humid

Sometimes people argue about the use of humidity in temperature prediction.  Specifically the question is whether weather forecasts should give the temperatures with the humidity taken into account.  The argument against it is that the humidex isn't the "real" temperature, so we're only making it sound hotter than it is.

To me, that makes no sense.  My reasoning is right there in the way the meteorologist reads the temperature: "The high is 27, but it will feel like 40."  But obviously, how it "feels" is what I want to know, so just tell me it's 40.  Another way of reading the temperature would be, "The high tomorrow will be a beautiful 27 degrees.  Though it should be noted, if you happen to be a carbon-based life form, it will feel like 40.  But the main story: the majority of objects in the universe would experience tomorrow as 27."

This strange treatment of humidity leads to Canadians' odd understanding of temperatures.  We'll be like, "Man, today was hot.  I like the summer, but this was too much.  What's the weather going to be like tomorrow?  27 Degrees?  Perfect, sounds like a beautiful day."  Completely oblivious to the fact that it was 27 degrees today as well, and tomorrow is going to be just as hellish.  Humidity is sort of like The Silence from Doctor Who: we are terrorized in its presence, then forget about it while we're not experiencing it.

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