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Bioclimatological rating of cities and resorts in South Africa according to the Climate Index
Author(s) -
Becker S.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
international journal of climatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.58
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-0088
pISSN - 0899-8418
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0088(200010)20:12<1403::aid-joc539>3.0.co;2-v
Subject(s) - geography , index (typography) , mediterranean climate , climatology , cape , bay , thermal comfort , clothing , environmental science , physical geography , meteorology , geology , archaeology , world wide web , computer science
The climatic conditions of 31 cities and resorts in South Africa have been examined with regard to the thermal perception of people. The evaluation of the thermal conditions is based on the human energy balance calculations, which have been specified for the detection of hot or cold discomfort of people walking outdoors in spite of adapted clothing. Hot days and cold days are defined depending on the extent and duration of thermal discomfort. Cities are rated according to the Climate Index (CI), which is defined in terms of the monthly frequency of hot or cold days. The most pleasant conditions in the annual average can be found along the coastal belt (Port St. Johns, Richards Bay, St. Lucia), the most unpleasant ones in the mediterranean region around Cape Town, the Karoo and the eastern lowveld. Copyright © 2000 Royal Meteorological Society