During hot summer and monsoon season, the weather is in its transition phase. It is neither complete hot summer, nor complete wet and rainy. However, what everyone notices is that it gets warmer just before and after the rain. So why does it feel hot?
Here are some theories that will explain it:
Moisture and Humidity
We know that rain is nothing but water, right? When it rains, water not only falls down to the earth but also evaporates in the way. Similarly, after it falls on the surface of the earth, it starts to capture the heat of the land. Either way,
it evaporates into water vapor and the surrounding becomes humid.
Just before the rain
The surrounding would have become so hot that some amount of water vaporises in the air itself without falling to the ground. This water vapour contains the heat it absorbed, and when this water vapour combines with the air, the humidity increases. This humidity is what creates the warm feeling.
What happens because of increased humidity:
- The temperature of the air increases
- The air is saturated with more amount of water particles
- Sweat cannot evaporate from our body
Just after the rain
When the water as a result of rainfall dries out, it also takes a huge amount of heat from the
earth surface. This heat is now all over the air, and this is why we feel warm after the rain. This warm feeling increases the amount of sweat. However, the surrounding is so much saturated with water vapour that it becomes difficult for the sweat to vaporize. This forces the sweat to just trap heat from our body and keep it on our body itself - as a result, we feel hotter.
What you can do to keep yourself cool
- Use towel to perfectly dry yourself
- Bathe or take shower in the morning. The humidity rises in the afternoon or evening, so it becomes difficult for the water in your body pores to escape
- Read more tips to stay cool this summer