ABC Action News Weather Calculators
Have you ever wondered how relative humidity affects how hot it really feels outside? Confused about what the dew point really is? You can learn all about these and other weather terms with our interactive weather calculators below.
Heat Index
Calculator
(using Dew Point) |
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Related weather definitions from ABC Action News:
• temperature – the amount of heat or cold measured on a thermometer.
• dew point – the temperature to which air must be cooled for saturation to
occur; the temperature at which dew or frost will form.
• heat index – a measure of how hot it feels when relative humidity is added
to the actual air temperature.
What else can the Dew Point tell you?
Dew Point, along with Temperature, can tell you the estimated height of a cloud's base. How? When air rises in a
convective current, it cools at the rate of 5.4° F/1,000 ft, and its dew point decreases 1° F/1,000 ft. Therefore, the temperature
and dew point are converging at 4.4° F/1,000 ft. Since clouds form when the temperature/dew point spread is 0°, you can use
that information to estimate the base of a cumulus cloud. Here's how it works: Subtract the surface dew point from the surface temperature
to give you the temperature/dew point spread. Then divide that number by 4.4° F. Finally, multiply this result by 1,000 ft. This total will be your estimate of the cloud
base's height above ground level (AGL). Try it using the Cloud Base Calculator below!
ABC Action News Weather Calculators:
• Barometric Pressure Conversions
• Cloud Base Calculator
• Density Altitude Calculator
• Dew Point Calculator
• Fahrenheit / Celsius Conversion
• Heat Index Calculator 1
• Heat Index Calculator 2
• Relative Humidity Calculator
• Relative Humidity / Dew Point Calculator
• Wind Chill Calculator
• Wind Velocity
Learn more weather terminology here.
