<p>I understand that different objects absorb different amounts of light (blackbody absorption). I wonder how feasible it would be to calculate the approximate temperature in the sun based upon the forecasted temperature (shade) — essentially a &quot;feels like&quot; in the sun. It's always some number of degrees warmer... it would be nice to quantify that. Does that depend on the absorption of a given person's skin (and thus vary depending upon their skin tone)? If so, would it be possible to calibrate an equation that predicts feels like temp in the sun by various lighter and darker skin tones? (see the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fitzpatrick_scale" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Fitzpatrick scale</a> for reference)</p>
<p>Note that I'm not talking about extant &quot;feels-like&quot; temperatures reported in forecasts, wind chill (calculated by wind speed) and the heat index (using the dew point), but a theoretical third &quot;feels-like&quot; number based upon exposure in the sun (using a blackbody or radiative transfer determinant).</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-01-26T03:42:10.043Z
Cross-posted to.[Physics](https://physics.stackexchange.com/q/746417/44126).
rob
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-01-31T13:59:39.220Z
You'd have to take latitude and time of year into account. The distance sunlight travels through the atmosphere will have a big impact on your calculation. For example think of the heat in the equatorial sun vs the heat in the low winter sun at high latitude. Calculating the solar radiation is done fairly easily, assuming no clouds, and has units Watts per meter squared. That might be a starting point?
Mehmet Karatay
<meteorology><temperature><weather-forecasting><thermodynamics><radiative-transfer>
Forecasted temperature in the shade vs. theoretical "feels-like" temperature in the sun
OxC0FFEE
# Forecasted temperature in the shade vs. theoretical "feels-like" temperature in the sun

(Asked by: username_0 on 2023-01-22)

I understand that different objects absorb different amounts of light (blackbody absorption). I wonder how feasible it would be to calculate the approximate temperature in the sun based upon the forecasted temperature (shade) — essentially a "feels like" in the sun. It's always some number of degrees warmer... it would be nice to quantify that. Does that depend on the absorption of a given person's skin (and thus vary depending upon their skin tone)? If so, would it be possible to calibrate an equation that predicts feels like temp in the sun by various lighter and darker skin tones? (see the [Fitzpatrick scale](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fitzpatrick_scale) for reference)

Note that I'm not talking about extant "feels-like" temperatures reported in forecasts, wind chill (calculated by wind speed) and the heat index (using the dew point), but a theoretical third "feels-like" number based upon exposure in the sun (using a blackbody or radiative transfer determinant).

**Tags:** meteorology, temperature, weather-forecasting, thermodynamics, radiative-transfer

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Cross-posted to.[Physics](https://physics.stackexchange.com/q/746417/44126).  
> **username_2**: You'd have to take latitude and time of year into account. The distance sunlight travels through the atmosphere will have a big impact on your calculation. For example think of the heat in the equatorial sun vs the heat in the low winter sun at high latitude. Calculating the solar radiation is done fairly easily, assuming no clouds, and has units Watts per meter squared. That might be a starting point?  

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## 0 answers

