Why does 65 in Southern California feel so much hotter than the 65 in the Midwest I grew up in?

Question

So far, this close to normal summer heat for everyone, we keep getting weather in the 65-70 range. But thing is that it *feels* like the 80s I’m used to getting in the summer when I’m in sunshine. In the Midwest, when I’d get 65-70s weather, it would be in the spring in March or April usually and it’s been consistently that temperature here. I’ve noticed here, we’ll get 70 degrees with a UV Index of 10 or 11, is that why?

In: 2

Answer 1

Southern California gets more direct rays from the sun (look up “insolation” with an “o”) than the midwest states. It feels hotter because in addition to the air temperature, you’re experiencing a higher concentration of solar radiation when outdoors. Additionally, the humidity level in California overall (an arid state) is generally lower than in the midwest, which would make the wind chill in the midwest feel colder.