Humidex

The humidex (short for humidity index) is an index number used by Canadian meteorologists to describe how hot the weather feels to the average person, by combining the effect of heat and humidity. The term humidex is a Canadian innovation coined in 1965. The humidex is a dimensionless quantity based on the dew point.

Range of humidex: Scale of comfort:

• 20 to 29: Little to no discomfort
• 30 to 39: Some discomfort
• 40 to 45: Great discomfort; avoid exertion
• Above 45: Dangerous; heat stroke quite possible

History

The current formula for determining the humidex was developed by J. M. Masterton and F. A. Richardson of Canada's Atmospheric Environment Service in 1979. Humidex differs from the heat index used in the United States in being derived from the dew point rather than the relative humidity.

For a long time, the record humidex in Canada was set by Windsor, Ontario, which hit 52.1 on 20 June 1953, as reported by Environment Canada.

This value was beaten on 25 July 2007 when Carman, Manitoba, hit 53.

The humidex computation formula

When the temperature is 30 °C (86 °F) and the dew point is 15 °C (59 °F), the humidex is 34. If the temperature remains 30 °C and the dew point rises to 25 °C (77 °F), the humidex rises to 42. The humidex is higher than the U.S. heat index at equal temperature and relative humidity.

The humidex formula is as follows:

$H=T_{\text{air}}+0.5555\left[6.11e^{5417.7530\left({\frac {1}{273.16}}-{\frac {1}{273.15+T_{\text{dew}}}}\right)}-10\right]$

where

• H denotes the Humidex
• T_air is the air temperature in °C
• T_dew is the dewpoint in °C

5417.7530 is a rounded constant based on the molecular weight of water, latent heat of evaporation, and the universal gas constant. The humidity adjustment approximately amounts to one Fahrenheit degree for every millibar by which the partial pressure of water in the atmosphere exceeds 10 millibars (10 hPa).

Table

Humidex

		Temperature (°C, for range 59–109 °F)
		15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35	36	37	38	39	40	41	42	43
Dew point (°C)
	10	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35	36	37	38	39	40	41	42	43	44
	11	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35	36	37	38	39	40	41	42	43	44	45
	12	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35	36	37	38	39	40	41	42	43	44	45
	13	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35	36	37	38	39	40	41	42	43	44	45	46
	14	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35	36	37	38	39	40	41	42	43	44	45	46
	15	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35	36	37	38	39	40	41	42	43	44	45	46	47
	16	–	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35	36	37	38	39	40	41	42	43	44	45	46	47	48
	17	–	–	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35	36	37	38	39	40	41	42	43	44	45	46	47	48
	18	–	–	–	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35	36	37	38	39	40	41	42	43	44	45	46	47	48	49
	19	–	–	–	–	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35	36	37	38	39	40	41	42	43	44	45	46	47	48	49	50
	20	–	–	–	–	–	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35	36	37	38	39	40	41	42	43	44	45	46	47	48	49	50	51
	21	–	–	–	–	–	–	29	30	31	32	33	34	35	36	37	38	39	40	41	42	43	44	45	46	47	48	49	50	51
	22	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	31	32	33	34	35	36	37	38	39	40	41	42	43	44	45	46	47	48	49	50	51	52
	23	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	33	34	35	36	37	38	39	40	41	42	43	44	45	46	47	48	49	50	51	52	53
	24	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	35	36	37	38	39	40	41	42	43	44	45	46	47	48	49	50	51	52	53	54
	25	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	37	38	39	40	41	42	43	44	45	46	47	48	49	50	51	52	53	54	55
	26	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	39	40	41	42	43	44	45	46	47	48	49	50	51	52	53	54	55	56
	27	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	42	43	44	45	46	47	48	49	50	51	52	53	54	55	56	57	58
	28	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	44	45	46	47	48	49	50	51	52	53	54	55	56	57	58	59

See also

• Heat index (with temperature chart in both °F and °C)
• Thermal stress on humans
• Wind chill