The Hindu explains the concept of relative humidity, why it matters, what it implies physically, how to measure it, and why the wet-bulb temperature matter. Subscribe now to read the full explainer.

Relative humidity, however, is dependent on temperature. Displayed as a percentage, relative humidity tells you how much water vapor there is compared to how much the air could hold at that ...

Relative humidity: This percentage compares the current water vapour in the air to the maximum amount that the air can hold at a specific temperature.

By multiplying the difference between the dew point and the air temperature by 5, and subtracting from 100% they get the relative humidity, which can then be compared with the reading on a hygrometer.

When it gets hot, you may hear us use the terms dew point, relative humidity, or feels like temperature. Do you know the difference? Dew Point is the quantity of moisture in the air.