Why Indian afternoons feel hotter than the actual temperature reading — the humidex story explained simply
• The humidex, or heat index, explains why afternoons in India often feel hotter than the actual temperature.
• High humidity reduces the body's ability to cool itself through sweat evaporation, leading to a higher perceived temperature.
• Understanding the humidex helps in taking precautions to avoid heat-related illnesses, especially in regions with high humidity.
Why It's Important?
The science behind humidex is quite straightforward. Our bodies cool down through the evaporation of sweat. However, when the air is already saturated with moisture (high humidity), the rate of evaporation decreases. This means that sweat doesn't evaporate as quickly, and our bodies are less efficient at cooling themselves. As a result, we feel hotter than the actual air temperature.
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