Why does an outside temperature of 10°C feel warm in winter and not in summer?

Answer

Dear Gilles,

The perceived temperature does not only depend on the temperature itself, but also on, among other things, humidity and whether there is wind.

For example, dry air will affect us less: dry air at 10°C feels less cold than moist air at 10°C. And dry air at 30°C will feel less warm than moist air at 30°C. This can already make a difference that it feels different to you.

In summer you adjust your clothes and 10°C will be too cold for what you are wearing; as opposed to winter where you dress warmer.

If I may make an analogy to keyhole surgery, for such surgery we use room temperature carbon dioxide to inflate your abdomen for surgery. If this gas enters your stomach, this dry air will be moistened by your body (so you dry out a bit) and will cool you down. If we use a humidified gas, you will cool down less (your body does not use energy to lose moisture). It is then still ideal to bring the temperature to 32°C, so that your body remains in a calm state and the cells have less oxygen demand, but this aside.

kind regards,