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humidex
< humidity + index
DCHP-2 (Jul 2016)
Spelling variants:Humidex,
n. — Outdoors, especially Saskatchewan & Prince Edward Island
an index combining heat and humidity that takes into account the body's response to varying humidity levels; perceived heat.
Type: 1. Origin — When the humidity is high, people feel hotter because of the body's decreased ability to cool itself by sweating. Temperatures that would not stress the body when the humidity is low can trigger warnings to reduce exercise when it is high (see the 1998 quotation). Humidex was formed by combining humidity and index. The term is virtually restricted to Canada (see Chart 1). While Environment Canada (see reference) reports that the humidex formula is based on the work of J.M. Masterton and F.A. Richardson at the Atmospheric Environment Service (now MSC) of Environment Canada in 1979, the concept and term are older with quotations going back to Toronto in the mid-1960s. Chart 2 shows that the term has little importance on the Pacific coast, but is of special relevance on the Prairies (especially Saskatchewan) and on Prince Edward Island.
See also COD-2, s.v. "humidex", which is marked "Cdn", Gage-1, s.v. "humidex", which is marked "Cdn.", ITP Nelson, s.v. "humidex", which is marked "Canadian".
See also COD-2, s.v. "humidex", which is marked "Cdn", Gage-1, s.v. "humidex", which is marked "Cdn.", ITP Nelson, s.v. "humidex", which is marked "Canadian".
See: wind chill
Often used in compounds, such as humidex indicator or humidex alert.
Quotations
1965
Friday sunny and cool. Winds light. Low tonight 55, high Friday 75.
Humidex high today 78, comfortable. (Humidex is the combined temperature and humidity reading. The figure 78 is the equivalent of dry air and 78-degree temperature.)
1968
The six men had some of the hottest jobs in Metro, where yesterday the temperature soared to 93 degrees and the humidex indicator -- a combination of humidity and temperature readings -- stood at a soggy 108.
1979
Tomorrow will be drier, with temperatures dropping about three degrees.
Yesterday's temperature in downtown Toronto reached a high of 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit), but the humidex, a reading of how the temperature feels, rose to 38 degrees, or about 100 F, because of the high humidity.
Heavy rain accompanied by lightning hit the Lake Simcoe area last night, falling off and on for several hours and ending the summer drought.
1988
Until last week, that is.
It made the news on Wednesday, when Environment Canada issued what is believed to be the first-ever humidex alert, as heat and humidity pushed the index above 40 across much of southern Ontario and Quebec.
In Montreal, although the temperature rose to 33 degress that day, it actually felt like 44 because of the humidity.
1998
Respect the weather and accommodate your schedule to its whims. When the humidex reaches summer highs, don't exercise. Take the day off.
2008
The temperature reached 104 degrees F which translates to 40 degrees Celsius, plus the humidex, which was out of sight.
2012
One big problem with the humidex is its inflationary nature. When the temperature is 25C, the humidex may say 30C. But when the temperature actually reachers 30C, the humidex goes higher again.
References
- Gage-1
- ITP Nelson
- Environment Canada • "Weather School: FAQ"
- COD-2
Images
Chart 1: Internet Domain Search, 14 Aug. 2012
