[ELI5] How do meteorologists objectively quantify the “feels like” temperature when it’s humid – is there a “default” humidity level?

Question

[ELI5] How do meteorologists objectively quantify the “feels like” temperature when it’s humid – is there a “default” humidity level?

In: Earth Science

Answer 1

The actual formula they use is very complicated. It needs to be because they are trying to model how well a human being is able to shed body heat under different conditions, which is not a simple thing to describe.

There is not a default percentage humidity, but there is a default vapor pressure. This means the amount of water in the air, but that will be a different “percentage” depending on the air temperature and the air pressure.

But BASICALLY, if the temperature is less than 90 F, “feels like” temp will be the same as the real temp at about 40% humidity. As you get hotter, you need a lower and lower humidity for them to be the same. For example at 100 F the feels like and real temp are the same at about 25% humidity.