Everyone has experienced this phenomenon: the weather app shows 25°C (77°F) for your vacation spot in Majorca—the same temperature as a perfect summer day back home in Germany. But upon arrival, it feels completely different. The sun burns more intensely, you sweat faster, the air feels "thicker." Conversely, 5°C (41°F) on the foggy North Sea coast can feel much colder than 5°C on a clear winter day in the Alps.
Are our senses simply wired differently on vacation? No. The reason lies in three invisible but powerful weather factors that go far beyond the simple number on the thermometer. Understanding them not only helps you better assess the weather abroad but also allows you to find the perfect vacation spot for your personal comfort climate.
Humidity is the most important factor influencing our perception of temperature. It describes how much water vapor is in the air. Its effect is twofold, explaining both the feeling of oppressive heat and biting cold.
Our body has an ingenious cooling system: sweating. When sweat evaporates from our skin, it draws heat from the body, cooling us down. However, this process only works if the surrounding air can still absorb moisture.
At high humidity, the air is already saturated with water vapor. Our sweat can no longer evaporate properly—it remains as a sticky film on the skin. The body's cooling mechanism fails. The result: the same temperature feels much hotter, more oppressive, and more strenuous. This feeling is what we call "muggy" or "humid."
In winter, the effect is reversed. Water conducts heat much better than dry air. On a cold day with high humidity, the damp cold penetrates clothing and actively draws heat away from the body. This pervasive, unpleasant feeling is what we describe as "damp cold."
The temperature is always measured in the shade. But what we feel first when we step off the plane is the direct radiation from the sun. And its intensity depends significantly on the sun's angle.
The closer you are to the equator, the more steeply (directly) the sun's rays hit the Earth's surface. The same amount of energy is concentrated on a smaller area, making the radiation much more intense. In Germany, especially in winter, the rays hit at a shallower angle.
Imagine a flashlight: if you shine it perpendicularly onto a wall, the beam is small, bright, and intense. If you shine it at an angle, the light spreads over a larger area and appears weaker.
Wind is the third major player. It influences our temperature perception through the wind chill effect.
Wind blows away the thin, insulating layer of warm air that surrounds our body, causing us to cool down faster. On a windy day, the temperature can feel several degrees colder than the thermometer indicates.
On vacation, we often experience the opposite effect: the sea breeze. On a 32°C (90°F) day on the Greek coast, a steady, cool wind from the sea makes the heat feel pleasant and bearable. The same 32°C inland without wind can feel oppressive and unbearable.
The simple degree number is only part of the story. The true weather feeling is a complex interplay of temperature, humidity, sun intensity, and wind. The next time you plan a trip, take a closer look at the details in your weather app:
| Factor | What to look for | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Humidity | Values above 65% in heat, above 80% in cold | Muggy and strenuous / Damp and penetrating cold |
| UV Index | An indicator of sun intensity | Higher index = stronger perceived solar radiation & sunburn risk |
| Wind Speed | Data in km/h or mph | Can make heat more bearable or cold more severe |
By considering these factors, you can not only pack better but also find the travel destination that perfectly matches your personal comfort climate. And you'll never be surprised again why 25°C sometimes feels like 20°C and sometimes like 30°C.