Temperature and relative humidity are inversely proportional. This means that if temperature increases, the relative humidity will decrease. The relative humidity is determined as a function of the absolute humidity, and varies with temperature.

Understanding the Context

In hot summer weather, a rise in relative humidity increases the apparent temperature to humans (and other animals) by hindering the evaporation of perspiration from the skin. The heat index, or apparent temperature, combines air temperature and relative humidity to indicate how hot it feels. High humidity slows sweating, the body's natural cooling system, making ... The key factor in humidity-temperature effects is explained by water evaporation from our skin (perspiration).

Key Insights

Namely, our bodies cool themselves by water evaporation from our skin. The inverse relationship between temperature and Relative Humidity has significant effects on comfort and weather. In residential settings during the winter, cold outdoor air often holds high Relative Humidity. Relative humidity is a function of both how much moisture the air contains and the temperature. If you raise the temperature while keeping moisture content constant, the relative humidity decreases.

Final Thoughts

The first major heat wave of summer has enveloped much of the midwestern and eastern U.S. in a brutal β€œdome” of record temperatures and high humidity. The dome phenomenon happens when weather ...