Ever wondered how relative humidity affects how hot it really feels outside? Confused about what the dew point is? Learn all about these and other weather terms with our interactive ABC15.com Weather Calculators below.
 

Related weather definitions from ABC15:

 • temperature – the amount of heat or cold measured on a thermometer.
 • dew point – the temperature to which air must be cooled for saturation to occur; the temperature at which dew or frost will form.

How does this calculator work?

Dew Point, along with Temperature, can tell you the estimated height of a cloud's base. How? When air rises in a convective current, it cools at the rate of 5.4° F/1,000 ft, and its dew point decreases 1° F/1,000 ft. Therefore, the temperature and dew point are converging at 4.4° F/1,000 ft. Since clouds form when the temperature/dew point spread is 0°, you can use that information to estimate the base of a cumulus cloud. Here's how it works: Subtract the surface dew point from the surface temperature to give you the temperature/dew point spread. Then divide that number by 4.4° F. Finally, multiply this result by 1,000 ft. This total will be your estimate of the cloud base's height above ground level (AGL).

Click on these ABC15.com Weather Calculators:

 • Barometric Pressure Conversions
 • Cloud Base Calculator
 • Density Altitude Calculator
 • Dew Point Calculator
 • Fahrenheit / Celsius Conversion
 • Heat Index Calculator #1 (using Dew Point)
 • Heat Index Calculator #2 (using Relative Humidity)
 • Relative Humidity Calculator (using Temperature and Dew Point)
 • Relative Humidity / Dew Point Calculator (using Dry Bulb-Wet Bulb Temperatures)
 • Wind Chill Calculator
 • Wind Velocity Conversions


Learn more weather terminology here.