Humidity the worst

The difference between the glorious hot summer days we’re currently having and the sweltering heat of last summer is the level of humidity. Last summer’s humidity was the worst I’ve felt in Auckland in a long time and others seem to agree. Why don’t Niwa and other meteorological organisations here routinely measure, predict and report humidity levels, as happens in many other countries? They would be a much more reliable indicator of heat discomfort than temperature, at least in the upper North Island, and it may also be useful information for some horticulture industries such as grape growers.

Mattie Wall, Westmere.