Dew point is considered to be the temperature at which water begins to condense. Or, explained in another way, the temperature to which an air mass must cool to cause condensation of the water vapor contained in it, thus forming mist and dew on walls and objects.
As the temperature of an air mass decreases, its capacity to contain water vapor decreases, that is, its relative humidity decreases. If this air mass continues to cool, there will come a time when the air will reach the saturation point and condensation may occur.
Below the dew point, liquid water will begin to condense on solid surfaces such as grass, walls, or windows. It can also condense in the atmosphere around solid particles, forming clouds or fog.
What is relative humidity?
The dew point is closely related to relative humidity, which is the relationship between the amount of water vapor present in the air at a given time and the maximum amount of vapor that the air would be capable of holding at that temperature.
On the other hand, the relative humidity is 100% when the dew point and the temperature are equal. If the temperature drops rapidly, condensation will occur and liquid water will begin to form. In addition, the dew point is considered the most accurate way to measure the humidity of the environment, since it is an absolute measure as opposed to the relative humidity.
When the dew point is between 8 and 13 degrees Celsius, humans experience the maximum sensation of comfort, especially in temperatures of 20 degrees in the shade.
In contrast, when the dew point exceeds 21 degrees, people feel hot or sticky because the amount of water vapor in the air makes perspiration difficult and prevents the body from cooling down.
