You may have noticed that the UK’s weather seems to be particularly bleak at the moment, making any trip outside quite grim.
So just why is the climate particularly difficult to endure right now?
Admittedly it is now snowing, but even those who faced Canadian winters have shared their discomfort on TikTok.
Luckily, a TikToker @circularityboss seems to have an explanation, after responding to a video from fellow TikToker Megan Ruthie. She asked: “OK, someone please tell me how I was able to survive Canadian winters for 25 years of my life.
“It can get [to] negative 30C in Canada and somehow I survived it.
“In the UK, it is 1C and I’m freezing.”
Circularity Boss claimed it’s all to do with the triple point of water, which is where “three states of matter exist at the same time”.
This is water vapour, ice, and water as liquid.
He continued: “Any condensed water vapour can only exist up until about three degrees, and at that point, it turns to steam.
“When it touches your face and your surface temperature is maybe 20C, then that condensation settles on your face, but then almost immediately starts to evaporate.
“That’s the same operation as sweat on your body – it cools you down.”
He also pointed out that the triple point of water exists at a lower temperature than critical point (when water exists as a liquid and gas at the same density).
So, at the triple point, there’s more moisture in the air so it can turn into water vapour on your face, “making you feel colder”.
The TikToker claimed: “At -30C, there’s not water vapour in the air. It’s extremely dry air, so there’s nothing to settle in the air, which would cool you down even more.
“That’s one of the ironic things about it, when you’re walking around in 1 or 2C, it feels absolutely freezing on your face or any exposed skin.
“But if you’re walking around in -30C, it actually feels pretty comfortable if you’re wrapped up warm in general.”
He pointed out that people who go on long walks in extreme cold get water vapour on their face from their own breathe, which forms icicles.
