Measuring Climatic Comfort Levels for the Population of Al-Bayda City for the Period 1982–2021

Abstract

The study aims to analyze the impact of climate on determining the climatic comfort levels of the population in Al Bayda city using some complex climatic comfort index equations that depend on two climatic elements, and for which climatic data are available. These equations can be applied as Thom's index and Oliver's index based on monthly averages of temperature and relative humidity for the period 1982-2021, to understand the relationship between climatic conditions and human feelings of comfort or distress, discomfort, and unease. The study concluded that there is a variation in climatic comfort levels in Al Bayda city according to the results of the two indexes, as no month was recorded according to Thom's index as a 100% comfortable and ideal month. Ideal comfort was recorded at 50% in April with a value of 16.5, followed by May and November with ideal comfort at 10% and values of 19 and 18.2. January and February were the most uncomfortable and coldest months with a value of 14. This was followed by March with 15 and December with 16, which were cold and uncomfortable months. As for the months of July, August and September, they were hot and uncomfortable with values of 23.5, 24.3, and 23.3. Spring was the ideal and comfortable season with a percentage of 50% in the city of Al-Bayda. Oliver's index results on monthly averages of temperature and relative humidity showed that most residents felt completely comfortable during the months of December, April, and November, with values of 60.5, 62.1, and 64.6. August represented a month of 100% discomfort for residents, with a value of 75.9. Spring was the ideal comfort season, as most residents felt completely comfortable, a point on which the two indexes agreed the annual average, according to Thom's index, was ideal and comfortable at 10%, while Oliver's index represented a relative comfort of 50%.