To wonder how the same temperature can feel so much colder inside than outside?

[AngeloMysterioso]

I just don’t get it!

According to the thermostat on my baby monitor, it is currently 20°c in my bedroom.

Now on a day when it’s 20°c outside, I’m going out in nice cool clothing and probably treating myself to an ice cream.

But when it’s 20°c inside, I feel absolutely bloody freezing. I wear lots of layers around the house, I shiver when I get out of bed and unless I have slippers or snuggly socks on, my feet are like blocks of ice. Right now it feels like my duvet is the only thing standing between me and hypothermia...

Why is that? Surely the same temperature should feel the same anywhere? Can anyone explain that to me?

I don't know but 20 degrees inside I'd be in a t-shirt! So warm!

I've asked this question many times myself usually during A/C battles at work.

Partly I think the weather temp is 'in the shade' but that doesn't seem sufficient of an explanation.

Outside you tend to be walking around which warms you up a hell of a lot. Sitting around inside you get cold fast.

I was out in my wheelchair this weekend with some friends, they were wearing thin coats and all felt warm where as I was wrapped up in 4 layers and 2 blankets shivering like crazy.

Keep moving as much as possible and you'll feel much warmer.

Good point! I have no idea but you are right, my comfy temperature is 22.5 indoors but that is still wearing a big jumper, yoga pants and big socks, no way could I sit on the sofa in a bikini, but outdoors I could....

You're so right, OP. It's weird.

I'm waiting for some magical answer to this...I totally agree. I need to know.

Outdoors you have the sun shining on you: the ambient temperature on your skin will feel different. If there was a breeze, that could could dip, though. Clouds would also have a dampening effect. You know how you almost instantly feel cooler when a cloud crosses the sun?

I completely agree! But I have no idea why this happens tho.

I am convinced that temperatures feel different in different countries too. At 20 degrees in the UK I was comfortable in a dress, or t shirt and shorts. Here in Oz that is jeans and jumper weather. I think its something to do with humidity. Its not acclimatisation, any visitors I've had here have noticed it too.

Outdoor temperature is measured in the shade so when you’re outside and it’s 20 degrees what you might actually be feeling it warmer because you are subject to radiation from the sun. When you’re outside you also tend to be moving around more and you tend to wear more clothes (you will have shoes and socks on for example - at home you might be barefoot which makes a massive difference).

It's all about how much heat your body is radiating. The thermometer / thermostat is looking at the air temperature, whereas what you need to measure is the mean radiant temperature.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meanradiantt_temperature

Basically, your comfort is a combination of your convection (heat loss to the air) and radiation (heat lost to surroundings). In winter, the walls are cold, and so there is (possibly considerable) heat loss by radiation, even if there is none by convection.

You can buy a black bulb thermometer which measure both and should give you a better correspondance with your comfort.

As TerpsichoreanMuse it is radiation to cold walls. I believe humidity also makes a difference hence why minus 10 in Moscow feels milder than minus 10 in New York.

Interesting..especially the comment about temp in uk v temp in oz
We went to Benidorm in January once and it was 18 ...and mostly chilly..yet as pp pointed out..18 in uk would’ve been a dress on with maybe a light cardi
Over there was a lightweight jacket and thin boots
Maybe you need to take the drop in temp in the evening..as soon as it got to about 5 pm and the sun began to set...the temp plummeted to about 12
Whereas in the uk at 18 it probably would’ve stayed warmer for longer..presumably it would be about May June time to get a temp like that