Goa is currently feeling the heat. That’s right, locals and tourists are certainly facing extreme discomfort this summer, primarily due to its high humidity, which massively elevates the ‘feels like’ temperature, or Heat Index, even when the actual air temperature is not the highest in the country. The Heat Index combines the effects of air temperature and relative humidity to reflect how hot it actually feels to the human body.
When humidity is high, sweat does not evaporate efficiently from the skin, reducing the body’s ability to cool itself. This leads to a much higher perceived temperature and increases the risk of heat-related illnesses. For example, while Goa recorded a maximum temperature of 34.6°C, the ‘feels like’ temperature soared to 47.8°C due to the oppressive humidity, making it one of the most uncomfortable places in India, despite other regions having higher actual temperatures.
According to the IMD, a north-south trough associated with an upper-air cyclonic circulation-from southwest Rajasthan to north Kerala, extending up to 1.5 km above sea level-is driving up both heat and humidity along India’s western coast, including Goa.
The ‘feels like’ temperature, also called the Heat Index, is how hot it actually feels when you take both the air temperature and humidity into account. When humidity is high, sweat doesn’t evaporate as quickly, which makes your body feel much hotter than the actual temperature might indicate. So, this means that even if the thermometer reads one thing, the humidity can make it feel a lot worse.
The India Meteorological Department now uses this index to issue public advisories and color-coded alerts to raise awareness of extreme heat conditions. These include:
Yellow: 36–45°C
Orange: 46–55°C
Red: Above 55°C