Explained | What is relative humidity and why does it matter on a hot day?
The Hindu — Health · 5 Oct 2026 · 1 min read
- Humidity is the amount of moisture in the air around us, and there are three ways to track it. The most common of them is absolute humidity: the mass of water vapour in a given volume of the air and water vapour mixture, expressed as kg/m3.
- The higher the relative humidity of air, the more it is filled with moisture. When air already contains a lot of moisture, it won’t easily accept more.
- A wet-bulb temperature in an environment of 32-35º C or higher can be quickly lethal, even if you are not doing any physical activity or are in the shade. (At least one study has shown that even a wet-bulb temperature of more than 29º C can be dangerous.)
Related articles
India · The Hindu — Health · 10 hours agoThe Hindu, Kauvery Hospital to host stroke care webinar on October 28
The webinar will discuss early diagnosis, symptom recognition, and the importance of timely access to specialised care
Read full article
India · The Hindu — Health · 10 hours agoUK approves J&J's oral psoriasis pill
In all four studies, patients who took the drug saw better results after 16 weeks than those given a placebo, the regulator said
Read full article
India · The Hindu — Health · 10 hours agoHow peripheral artery disease is treated as leg pain worsens
Treatment for PAD includes medicines, structured exercise and procedures to improve blood flow. Experts advise patients not to push through severe pain during exercise…
Read full article