Cold weather has hit the UK – but it’s nothing compared to what you’ll see in Canada (Credit: Reuters)
How is it possible the UK can feel colder than Canada even though we’re only a degree or two below freezing here?
That’s the question from Megan Ruthie, who has experienced both the frigid Canadian winter and the current cold snap in the UK.
‘Ok someone please tell me how I was able to survive Canadian winters for 25 years of my life,’ she said on TikTok.
‘It can get -30 degrees in Canada and somehow I survived it. In the UK it is now 1 degree and I’m freezing.’
We hear you, Megan.
Turns out that, even though Canada is way, way, way colder than the plunging temperatures across the UK right now – it can still feel chillier here because of water vapour in the air.
Meanwhile, in Canada… (Credit: Reuters)
Another TikTokker, circularityboss, who posts videos on technology and applied maths, explained what’s going on. And it’s to do with the ‘triple point’ of water.
That is, the point at which water can be either of its three states with only slight manipulations of pressure or temperature. And we’re in the sweet spot for this triple point right now.
‘Any condensed water vapor can only exist up until about 3 degrees, and at that point, it turns to steam,’ circularityboss explained.
‘When it touches your face and your surface temperature is maybe 20°C, then that condensation settles on your face, but then almost immediately starts to evaporate. That’s the same operation as sweat on your body: It cools you down.’
So, while Canada may be freezing cold at minus 30 – there’s not going to be any water vapour in the air.
‘That’s one of the ironic things about it, when you’re walking around in 1 or 2°C, it feels absolutely freezing on your face or any exposed skin,’ circularityboss continued.
‘But if you’re walking around in -30°C, it actually feels pretty comfortable if you’re wrapped up warm in general.’
Last night was not quite as freezing as the two previous evenings, which saw the record for the coldest night of the year broken twice in a row.
More snow could be on the way (Credits: Getty Images)
But with temperatures plummeting lower than expected, the Met Office has extended some of its yellow weather warnings.
A yellow snow and ice warning covering northern Scotland and north-east England will be in place until noon on Friday. The South West also has a snow and ice warning in place until 10am today, with an ice warning in east England until noon.
A temperature of -17.3°C was recorded in Braemar, Aberdeenshire on Monday into Tuesday, breaking this year’s lowest temperature record again.
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It’s all to do with water vapour in the air.
