gitadmin/sunscope
1
0
Fork 0
Code Issues Pull Requests Actions Packages Projects Releases Wiki Activity
Files
6952f0e1c081f8a65f552e86d0ed781d9d1440f2
sunscope/about.html
T
fraxle 2f76f98632 1.9 
New SunSoak multiselect UTCI modifiers pulldown
Linked new SunSoak to profiles
Updated content to match new changes
2026-05-25 11:24:46 +01:00

897 lines
71 KiB
HTML
Raw Blame History

This file contains ambiguous Unicode characters
This file contains Unicode characters that might be confused with other characters. If you think that this is intentional, you can safely ignore this warning. Use the Escape button to reveal them.
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8" />
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0" />
<title>About SunScope · The True Temperature</title>
<meta name="description" content="SunScope uses the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) and its original SunSoak index to show how the weather will really feel on your body — including rain, snow, wind, solar radiation, environment type, air quality, pollen, and visibility." />
<meta name="robots" content="index, follow" />
<link rel="canonical" href="https://sunscope.net/about.html" />
<!-- Open Graph -->
<meta property="og:title" content="About SunScope · The True Temperature" />
<meta property="og:description" content="What is UTCI? How does SunSoak work? Learn how SunScope calculates felt temperature across different environments — forest, alpine, beach, desert and more — plus urban heat, vehicle temperatures, and an honest outdoor comfort forecast." />
<meta property="og:url" content="https://sunscope.net/about.html" />
<meta property="og:type" content="website" />
<!-- og:image: replace with your 1200×630 social sharing image URL -->
<!-- <meta property="og:image" content="https://sunscope.net/og-image.png" /> -->
<!-- Twitter Card -->
<meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image" />
<meta name="twitter:title" content="About SunScope · The True Temperature" />
<meta name="twitter:description" content="What is UTCI? How does SunSoak work? Learn how SunScope calculates felt temperature across different environments — forest, alpine, beach, desert and more — plus urban heat, vehicle temperatures, and an honest outdoor comfort forecast." />
<!-- <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://sunscope.net/og-image.png" /> -->
<link rel="icon" type="image/svg+xml" href="data:image/svg+xml,<svg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 100 100'><text y='.9em' font-size='90'>☀️</text></svg>" />
<link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.bunny.net" />
<link href="https://fonts.bunny.net/css2?family=Fraunces:ital,wght@0,900;1,300&family=Manrope:wght@400;600&family=JetBrains+Mono:wght@400;600&display=swap" rel="stylesheet" />
<link rel="stylesheet" href="./assets/about.css">
<!-- Structured data for AEO / AI search -->
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "WebApplication",
"name": "SunScope",
"url": "https://sunscope.net",
"description": "A free hourly UTCI thermal comfort forecast combining air temperature, humidity, wind speed, and solar radiation. Includes vehicle interior temperature, indoor temperature, UV burn time, concrete surface temperature, soil data, air quality index, pollen, and visibility.",
"applicationCategory": "WeatherApplication",
"operatingSystem": "Any",
"offers": {
"@type": "Offer",
"price": "0",
"priceCurrency": "GBP"
}
}
</script>
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "WebSite",
"name": "SunScope",
"url": "https://sunscope.net",
"description": "SunScope is a free outdoor thermal comfort forecast using the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) and the SunSoak index — combining precipitation, environment modifiers, and mean radiant temperature into a single honest felt-temperature number."
}
</script>
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "FAQPage",
"mainEntity": [
{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "What is UTCI and why is it better than a standard feels-like temperature?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "The Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) is a peer-reviewed biometeorological standard developed by Bröde et al. (2012) and used in public health systems worldwide. Unlike simple feels-like values that only apply wind-chill or heat-index formulas, UTCI combines air temperature, humidity, wind speed, and the full solar radiation load using a physiological model of the human body. It accounts for mean radiant temperature from all surrounding surfaces, making it a much more accurate predictor of actual thermal comfort and heat stress."
}
},
{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "What is the SunScope SunSoak index?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "SunSoak is SunScope's signature felt-temperature index. It starts from UTCI — the biometeorological standard combining air temperature, humidity, wind, and solar radiation — then layers three extra dimensions on top: a rain and snow penalty (wet clothing can drop felt temperature by up to 8 degrees C), an environment modifier that adjusts the solar load for where you actually are (forest canopy, alpine altitude, lakeside reflection, shaded riverbank, desert ground heat), and the full radiant heat from surrounding surfaces. The result is a single number that honestly answers: what will my body actually feel out there?"
}
},
{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "How hot does a car get in the sun?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "A sealed car in direct sunlight can reach cabin temperatures 20–30 °C above outside air temperature within 30–45 minutes. On a 25 °C day with strong sun, cabin air can hit 50–55 °C. SunScope models this hour by hour using the actual solar radiation forecast, accounting for body panel conduction and window solar gain. Motorhomes and caravans are treated separately as insulated occupied living spaces, with reflective panels, retained warmth, and slower heat response. Values above 35 °C are dangerous for children and pets; above 45 °C can be fatal within minutes."
}
},
{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "Does opening car windows reduce the temperature inside?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "Yes, significantly. Open windows allow convective airflow to flush hot cabin air out continuously, reducing heat build-up by roughly 60–80% compared to a sealed vehicle. SunScope's Vehicle column includes a Windows open toggle that switches the physics model to a ventilated state, showing you the estimated cabin temperature with windows cracked compared to fully sealed."
}
},
{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "Is it safe to leave a dog in a parked car?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "No — on any warm or sunny day a sealed vehicle heats up rapidly to temperatures that can cause heatstroke and death in animals within minutes. Dogs cannot cool themselves as efficiently as humans and are at risk at cabin temperatures above 32 °C. SunScope's Vehicle interior column gives an hour-by-hour estimate of cabin temperature so you can see at a glance whether conditions are safe."
}
},
{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "How do I keep my house cool in a heatwave without air conditioning?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "Keep curtains and blinds closed during the day to block direct solar gain, then open windows once outdoor air drops below the indoor temperature — usually in the evening or early morning. SunScope's Home profile lets you select your building type (brick, modern, Victorian terrace, stone cottage, timber frame, flat, or conservatory) so the model reflects how your building actually heats up. Ticking Managed shows the effect of following this advice hour by hour — so you can see exactly when to open up and how much difference it makes."
}
},
{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "Why is my house hotter in the evening than during the day?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "Building materials absorb heat slowly throughout the day and release it gradually over several hours — a property called thermal mass. How pronounced the effect is depends on construction: a stone cottage or Victorian terrace stays warm well into the night, while a timber frame new build or conservatory responds almost immediately to outdoor changes. SunScope's building type selector lets you match the model to your actual home so the indoor temperature lag it shows reflects your building rather than an average."
}
},
{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "How hot does pavement or concrete get in summer?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "Exposed concrete and tarmac can be 15–25 °C hotter than the surrounding air on a sunny day. Unlike grass they have no evaporative cooling and absorb a large fraction of solar radiation. This is a hazard for dogs on pavements, barefoot children, and cyclists. SunScope's Concrete surface column estimates this temperature using an energy-balance model driven by the real solar radiation forecast."
}
},
{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "What is the difference between UV-A and UV-B?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "UV-A has a longer wavelength and penetrates deeper into the skin. It is present throughout all daylight hours, passes through glass, and is the primary cause of long-term skin ageing. UV-B has a shorter wavelength, causes sunburn directly, and drives vitamin D production. UV-B intensity falls sharply at low solar elevations. SunScope shows both indices separately so you can make informed decisions about both immediate burn risk and long-term UV exposure."
}
},
{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "How long can I spend in the sun before I get sunburned?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "It depends on your skin type and the current UV index. SunScope's Burn time column estimates the minutes to one Minimal Erythemal Dose (MED) — the threshold for the onset of sunburn — based on the UV forecast and your Fitzpatrick skin type. Fair skin (type I–II) may burn in under 10 minutes at UV index 8+; darker skin can tolerate significantly longer exposure. Figures assume no sunscreen and direct unshaded exposure."
}
},
{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "What soil temperature do seeds need to germinate?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "Most vegetable seeds need soil temperatures above 7–10 °C to germinate reliably, with warm-season crops like courgettes and beans requiring 12–15 °C or more. SunScope shows both surface soil temperature and 6 cm depth temperature — the root zone where germination actually happens — so you can time sowing decisions accurately."
}
},
{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "How can I tell if the ground is too wet for a motorhome or caravan?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "SunScope's soil moisture column shows water saturation of the top 1 cm of soil as a percentage. A reading above 40% indicates saturated ground where a heavy vehicle is likely to sink or churn the surface. Below 20% is dry and firm. The Vehicle profile includes soil moisture by default for motorhome and caravan users assessing pitch suitability."
}
},
{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "What is the difference between UTCI and heat index?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "Heat index is a simple table-based formula that adjusts air temperature for humidity only — it was designed for shade conditions and ignores wind and solar radiation. UTCI is a full physiological model accounting for all four factors simultaneously: air temperature, humidity, wind speed, and mean radiant temperature from solar radiation and surrounding surfaces. In sunny or windy conditions the two values can differ by 10–20 °C. UTCI is the standard used in European heat-health warning systems."
}
},
{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "How accurate is SunScope?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "SunScope uses Open-Meteo forecast data sourced from ECMWF and national meteorological services. The UTCI calculation follows the peer-reviewed Bröde 2012 polynomial exactly. Derived columns (vehicle temperature, indoor temperature, concrete surface, UV) are physics-based estimates rather than measured values, and will vary based on local factors like building construction, shading, and surface colour."
}
},
{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "Does SunScope work outside the UK?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "Yes — SunScope works for any location worldwide. Search for any city, town, or village using the search bar. The indoor temperature model offers seven building types — brick, modern insulated, Victorian terrace, stone cottage, timber frame, top-floor flat, and conservatory — so you can match the model to your actual building wherever you are. All other columns are fully location-agnostic."
}
},
{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "How far ahead does the forecast go?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "The free tier shows 3 days of hourly data. The forecast auto-refreshes every 5 minutes while the page is open, so the current hour always reflects the latest available data from Open-Meteo."
}
},
{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "Does SunScope show air quality and pollen forecasts?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "Yes. SunScope includes three air environment columns: Visibility (horizontal visibility in km, useful for fog, haze, and driving conditions), AQI (European Air Quality Index combining PM2.5, PM10, ozone, NO2, and SO2, sourced from Copernicus CAMS), and Pollen (concentration in grains per cubic metre with a selectable pollen type — grass, birch, alder, mugwort, olive, ragweed, or total). These columns appear after Cloud in the table and can be toggled on or off in the column bar."
}
}
]
}
</script>
</head>
<body>
<header id="site-nav">
<div class="nav-overlay" onclick="toggleNav(false)"></div>
<a href="./index.html" class="logo"><span class="logo-sun">SUN</span><span class="logo-scope">Scope</span></a>
<div class="nav-links" id="nav-drawer">
<a href="./index.html">Forecast</a>
<a href="./about.html" class="active">About</a>
<a href="./faq.html">FAQ</a>
<a href="https://billing.stripe.com/p/login/9B63cw7vl8k15Ei9DQd7q00" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Account</a>
</div>
<button class="utci-burger" aria-label="Open menu" aria-expanded="false" id="burger-btn" onclick="toggleNav()">
<span></span><span></span><span></span>
</button>
</header>
<script>
function toggleNav(force) {
const nav = document.getElementById('site-nav');
const drawer = document.getElementById('nav-drawer');
const btn = document.getElementById('burger-btn');
const open = force !== undefined ? force : !nav.classList.contains('nav-open');
nav.classList.toggle('nav-open', open);
drawer.classList.toggle('is-open', open);
btn.setAttribute('aria-expanded', open ? 'true' : 'false');
}
</script>
<main>
<h1>About SunScope</h1>
<p class="tagline">The True Temperature — what the weather actually feels like on your body.</p>
<h2>What is SunScope?</h2>
<p>
SunScope is a free outdoor thermal comfort forecast that goes well beyond standard air
temperature. Most weather apps tell you it's 12 °C and leave you to guess whether that means
a t-shirt or a heavy coat. SunScope combines air temperature, humidity, wind speed, and solar
radiation into a single <strong>felt temperature</strong> — so you know what to actually expect
when you step outside.
</p>
<p>
The core calculation is the <strong>Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI)</strong>, a
peer-reviewed biometeorological standard developed by
<a href="https://utci.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bröde et al. (2012)</a>
and used globally in heat-health warning systems and urban planning. On top of that, SunScope
builds its own <strong>SunSoak</strong> index — because UTCI alone doesn't account for the full
picture of where you actually are and what the weather is actually doing to you. SunSoak layers
three extra dimensions on top of UTCI: a <strong>rain and snow penalty</strong> for the chill of
wet clothing and skin; an <strong>environment modifier</strong> that adjusts the solar and
thermal load for your surroundings (forest canopy, alpine altitude, lakeside glare, shaded
riverbank, desert ground heat); and the full radiant heat absorbed from surrounding surfaces.
One number that honestly answers: <em>what will my body actually feel out there?</em>
</p>
<p>
Forecast data is sourced in real time from <strong>Open-Meteo</strong>, a free and open-source
weather API drawing on ECMWF and national meteorological services. The forecast refreshes
automatically every five minutes and is available for any location worldwide.
</p>
<h2>What else does SunScope calculate?</h2>
<p>
SunScope goes far beyond a single felt-temperature number. Depending on the profile you choose,
it can calculate and display a wide range of derived quantities, each built on the same
per-hour weather data:
</p>
<p>
<strong>Vehicle interior temperature.</strong> A physics-based model estimates how hot a sealed,
parked vehicle gets over time — combining heat conducted through the roof and body panels with
direct solar gain through the side windows. You can select your vehicle type (car, MPV, SUV,
motorhome, or caravan), each of which has its own albedo, glazing area, and insulation
characteristics. A <em>Windows open</em> toggle switches to a ventilated model where convective
loss is roughly five times higher, dramatically reducing cabin heat build-up — mirroring the
real-world effect of cracking the windows.
</p>
<p>
<strong>Indoor temperature.</strong> The <em>Indoors</em> column estimates the temperature
inside a building with windows closed and no air conditioning, simulating retained warmth,
window solar gain, internal gains, and thermal mass hour by hour. You choose your building type from a dropdown
— brick, modern insulated, Victorian terrace, stone cottage, timber frame, top-floor flat, or
conservatory — and the physics model adjusts accordingly. Each type has its own insulation
level, thermal mass, retained warmth, and glazing characteristics, so a stone cottage and a conservatory behave
very differently on a hot day. The model now lags toward a realistic hourly target rather
than repeatedly adding solar heat, so indoor temperatures typically peak 2–4 hours after the outdoor
peak, which is why a house can still feel stifling at 10 pm on a summer day. Tick
<em>Managed</em> alongside the dropdown to switch to the heatwave-advice model: curtains
closed by day to cut solar gain, windows opened whenever outdoor air is cooler than inside.
</p>
<p>
<strong>Urban concrete surface temperature.</strong> Concrete and tarmac absorb far more solar
energy than grass, and unlike grass they have no evaporative cooling. On a sunny summer
afternoon, exposed paving can run 15–25 °C hotter than the surrounding air. SunScope models
this using a surface energy balance approach that accounts for solar absorption, surface
emissivity, and convective cooling by wind.
</p>
<p>
<strong>UV and sunburn.</strong> SunScope splits the solar UV spectrum into UV-A and UV-B
components. The burn-time column estimates how long before you reach one Minimal Erythemal
Dose (the clinical threshold for sunburn) based on the UV index and your Fitzpatrick skin type
— selected from a dropdown in the column bar.
</p>
<p>
<strong>Soil temperature and moisture.</strong> Surface and 6 cm soil temperatures are shown for
agricultural and outdoor-work planning. Soil moisture indicates whether the ground is workable
or saturated — particularly useful for motorhome and caravan pitching.
</p>
<p>
<strong>Air quality, visibility, and pollen.</strong> Three atmospheric columns sit together
after cloud cover in the table. <em>Visibility</em> shows horizontal visibility in kilometres,
sourced from the CAMS model — values below 1 km indicate fog, below 10 km suggest mist or
pollution haze. <em>AQI</em> shows the European Air Quality Index (0–100+), combining PM2.5,
PM10, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, and sulphur dioxide, with colour-coded bands from Good to
Hazardous. <em>Pollen</em> shows concentration in grains per cubic metre for a selectable
pollen type — choose from total pollen, grass, birch, alder, mugwort, olive, or ragweed — with
Low / Moderate / High / Very High labels. All three are sourced from the Copernicus CAMS
air quality forecast.
</p>
<p>
<strong>The sky scope.</strong> The large circular visualisation at the top of the page shows
the sky conditions for the currently selected hour. The sky colour smoothly interpolates through
a full set of elevation-keyed gradients — from deep pre-dawn navy through golden sunrise, bright
midday blue, warm sunset amber, and back to night — with a sun disc whose glow radius and
intensity scale with the actual shortwave radiation at that moment. It refreshes automatically
alongside the forecast.
</p>
<p>
<strong>Day strip weather and temperatures.</strong> Each day tab in the date selector shows the
day's forecast at a glance: a weather icon representing the dominant daytime conditions (sun,
cloud variants, or precipitation), plus the day's high and low SunSoak felt temperatures in
warm and cool colours. The icon uses the actual daytime solar elevation and cloud category data
so it reflects the real character of the day rather than a generic symbol.
</p>
<p>
<strong>Weather event banners and popups.</strong> When notable weather conditions are forecast
— such as a frost, strong winds, fog, or a heat event — a banner appears above the forecast
table with a brief alert. Tapping or clicking the event icon opens a detailed description
popup explaining what the condition means and what to watch out for.
</p>
<p>
<strong>What's Coming — cosmic events almanac.</strong> A 🔭 panel below the forecast table
shows upcoming astronomical events for your location over the next 90 days: meteor showers,
lunar and solar eclipses, planetary conjunctions, and oppositions. Each entry shows the event
name, peak date, a countdown, a short description, and a visibility note where the event is
better from a particular hemisphere or location. When a cosmic event is currently active,
it also appears as a banner above the forecast table alongside the weather alerts.
</p>
<h2>What is SunSoak?</h2>
<p>
Standard UTCI is calculated assuming open, unshaded conditions with no precipitation — it tells
you how the wind and sun affect your body, but not the full picture of where you actually are or
what the weather is actively doing to you. <strong>SunSoak</strong> fills those gaps with three
layers of original calculation stacked on top of the UTCI foundation.
</p>
<p>
<strong>The precipitation penalty.</strong> Rain and snow are not in UTCI. The soak-factor
formula adds an original penalty based on rain intensity, snowfall rate, and wind speed —
reflecting the extra chill of wet clothing and skin. Light drizzle (under 1 mm/hr) reduces the
felt temperature by roughly 1–2 °C. Heavy rain combined with strong wind can push it down by
7–8 °C. Snowfall carries an additional penalty on top.
</p>
<p>
<strong>The environment modifier.</strong> UTCI assumes you are standing in the open. SunSoak
adjusts the solar radiation load and air temperature for six distinct environments, selectable
from a dropdown on the SunSoak column: <em>Open / Exposed</em> (the UTCI default);
<em>Forest / Woodland</em> (canopy reduces direct radiation by ~85%, evapotranspiration
cooling lowers apparent air temperature); <em>High Altitude / Alpine</em> (thinner atmosphere
increases radiation dose by ~15% at 2,000 m); <em>Beach / Lakeside</em> (water and sand
reflection increases effective solar load); <em>River / Riverbank</em> (partial canopy and
strong evaporative cooling from the water surface); and <em>Desert / Arid</em> (extreme
radiation from high-albedo ground, with significant ground-level heat adding to felt
temperature). Selecting a Place or Activity profile automatically sets the most appropriate
environment for that context — but you can always override it manually.
</p>
<p>
<strong>Mean radiant temperature.</strong> The full radiant heat load from surrounding surfaces
— ground, walls, sky, and direct sun — is calculated as Mean Radiant Temperature (Tmrt) and
fed into the UTCI polynomial. On a sunny day this alone can add 20–30 °C to the felt
temperature compared to a shaded reading.
</p>
<h2>Forecast profiles</h2>
<p>
SunScope organises its columns into <strong>profiles</strong> — curated sets of data tailored
to different activities and use cases. Rather than showing every column at once, each profile
surfaces the information that actually matters for that situation. You can switch between
<strong>Basic</strong>, <strong>Home</strong>, and <strong>Vehicle</strong> using the buttons
above the forecast table. Two dropdowns — <strong>Places</strong> and <strong>Activities</strong>
— give access to a further set of tailored views. The Temps comparison and Custom column
builder are part of SunScope Extra.
</p>
<div class="profile-block">
<p class="profile-name">🌡️ Basic</p>
<p>
The default view — clean and uncluttered, showing the essentials for any outdoor situation.
<strong>Air temperature</strong>, <strong>wind speed</strong>, <strong>cloud cover</strong>,
<strong>visibility</strong>, <strong>precipitation</strong>, and <strong>SunSoak</strong> — the
felt-temperature index that combines sun, wind, humidity, rain, and your environment into a
single honest number. The right starting point for most people most of the time.
</p>
</div>
<div class="profile-block">
<p class="profile-name">🏠 Home</p>
<p>
For managing indoor comfort without air conditioning. The indoor temperature column is
central: select your building type from the dropdown (UK brick, modern insulated, Victorian
terrace, stone cottage, timber frame, top-floor flat, or conservatory) and the physics model
adjusts for that building's insulation, retained warmth, thermal mass, and glazing
characteristics. Tick <strong>Managed</strong> to switch to the heatwave-advice model —
curtains closed by day to block solar gain, windows opened whenever outdoor air is cooler
than inside. Indoor temperatures typically peak 2–4 hours after the outdoor peak due to
thermal mass, and the model reflects this lag for each building type. Supporting columns
include <strong>air temperature</strong>, <strong>relative humidity</strong> and
<strong>dew point</strong> (important for condensation and mould risk in cooler months),
<strong>wind speed</strong> for ventilation decisions, <strong>cloud cover</strong>,
<strong>air quality index</strong> and <strong>pollen</strong> (useful for allergy
sufferers deciding whether to open windows), and <strong>precipitation</strong> — so
you know whether to open the windows or bring the washing in.
</p>
</div>
<div class="profile-block">
<p class="profile-name">🚗 Vehicle</p>
<p>
Covers the parked and travelling vehicle experience — especially useful for anyone with
children or pets, motorhome travellers, and caravan owners. The headline column is
<strong>vehicle interior temperature</strong>: a physics-based estimate of how hot the
cabin gets when parked and sealed, adjusted for your chosen vehicle type (car, MPV, SUV,
motorhome, or caravan). Motorhomes and caravans are treated as insulated occupied living
spaces, with reflective sandwich panels roughly 25–35 mm thick, less sun-exposed glass
than a car, and retained warmth from previous hours, occupants, appliances, and background
heating. <strong>Wind speed</strong> is included because it matters significantly for
high-sided vehicles and caravans. <strong>Cloud cover</strong> and <strong>air
temperature</strong> give context, <strong>precipitation</strong> covers driving
conditions, and <strong>SunSoak</strong> tells you what it will feel like when you step
outside. <strong>Soil moisture</strong> is included specifically for motorhome and caravan
users — values above 40% indicate saturated ground where pitching or manoeuvring
is likely to cause problems.
</p>
</div>
<div class="profile-block">
<p class="profile-name">🌤️ Places</p>
<p>
The Places dropdown gives access to seven location-specific views, each with its own
tailored column set. Urban, Beach, Events, Park/Picnic, and Airport/Travel are free;
Festival and Construction are part of SunScope Extra.
</p>
<p>
<strong>Urban</strong> — designed for anyone moving around a city on foot: commuting,
shopping, sightseeing. The urban environment creates its own microclimate: buildings
channel wind into gusts down narrow streets, concrete absorbs heat all day and radiates
it back long after sunset, and the lack of vegetation means there's no evaporative
cooling. Columns: <strong>air temperature</strong>, <strong>wind speed and direction</strong>,
<strong>cloud cover</strong>, <strong>visibility</strong>, <strong>air quality index</strong>,
<strong>UV-A index</strong>, <strong>burn time</strong>, <strong>SunSoak</strong>,
<strong>precipitation</strong>, and <strong>concrete surface temperature</strong>.
</p>
<p>
<strong>Beach</strong> — UV exposure at the coast is significantly higher than inland:
water reflects up to 25% of incoming UV back at you, and wet sand nearly as much. Both
<strong>UV-A</strong> and <strong>UV-B</strong> are shown alongside <strong>burn
time</strong> for your skin type. <strong>Dew point</strong> captures the humidity that
makes hot beach days feel muggy, <strong>wind speed and direction</strong> matters for
comfort and sea state, and <strong>sun elevation</strong> tells you when the UV load
peaks. <strong>Visibility</strong> is included for sea-state and horizon conditions.
<strong>SunSoak</strong> and <strong>precipitation</strong> round out the picture.
</p>
<p>
<strong>Events</strong> — for general outdoor gatherings: markets, sports fixtures, open-air
concerts, and public events. Focuses on the crowd comfort picture: <strong>air
temperature</strong>, <strong>wind speed and direction</strong> (useful for exposed
grandstands and open sites), <strong>cloud cover</strong>, <strong>UV-A</strong> and
<strong>burn time</strong> for daytime events, <strong>SunSoak</strong> for overall felt
comfort, <strong>precipitation</strong>, <strong>pollen</strong> (important for
allergy-sensitive attendees), and <strong>concrete surface temperature</strong>
— relevant for anyone standing or sitting on sun-exposed hard standing for extended periods.
</p>
<p>
<strong>Park / Picnic</strong> — a lighter view for casual outdoor time in green spaces.
Shows the essentials without the urban or specialist columns: <strong>air temperature</strong>,
<strong>wind speed</strong>, <strong>cloud cover</strong>, <strong>burn time</strong>,
<strong>SunSoak</strong>, <strong>precipitation</strong>, and <strong>pollen</strong>
— useful for anyone with hay fever deciding whether to head out.
</p>
<p>
<strong>Airport / Travel</strong> — focused on the conditions that affect journeys rather
than outdoor comfort. Shows <strong>air temperature</strong>, <strong>wind speed and
direction</strong> (relevant for delays and turbulence at exposed airports),
<strong>cloud cover</strong>, <strong>visibility</strong> (critical for flight operations
and driving to the terminal), and <strong>precipitation</strong>.
</p>
<p>
<strong>Festival · Extra</strong> — multi-day outdoor events live or die by two things: the
weather comfort and the state of the ground. Focuses on <strong>SunSoak</strong> for how
cold and wet conditions will actually feel, <strong>wind speed and direction</strong> for
tent and stage exposure, <strong>dew point</strong> for overnight condensation,
<strong>UV-A</strong> and <strong>burn time</strong> for daytime sun protection,
<strong>precipitation</strong> for planning, <strong>air quality index</strong> and
<strong>pollen</strong> — particularly relevant for multi-day outdoor exposure — and
<strong>soil moisture</strong> — the mud indicator. Values above 40% mean the ground
is saturated and vehicle access, camping areas, and walkways will be affected.
</p>
<p>
<strong>Construction · Extra</strong> — for site managers and outdoor workers. Safety and
productivity on a construction site depend on conditions at ground level and in the air.
Shows <strong>air temperature</strong>, <strong>wind speed and direction</strong> (critical
for working at height and crane operations), <strong>cloud cover</strong>,
<strong>visibility</strong>, <strong>air quality index</strong> (dust and diesel
particulates compound background pollution), <strong>UTCI</strong> for heat stress on
workers, <strong>SunSoak</strong> for wet-weather comfort, and <strong>precipitation</strong>.
</p>
</div>
<div class="profile-block">
<p class="profile-name">🎯 Activities</p>
<p>
The Activities dropdown organises views by what you are actually doing outdoors. Farming,
Cycling, Running, and Dog Walking are free; Sailing, Winter Sports, Naturist, Hiking,
Photography, and Fishing are part of SunScope Extra.
</p>
<p>
<strong>Farming</strong> — built for anyone working the land: farmers, growers, and market
gardeners. Decision-making in agriculture is driven by conditions at ground level, not just
the air. Shows <strong>air temperature</strong>, <strong>relative humidity</strong> and
<strong>dew point</strong> (critical for frost risk and disease pressure on crops),
<strong>wind speed and direction</strong> (essential for safe spraying windows),
<strong>cloud cover</strong> and <strong>sun elevation</strong> for light levels,
<strong>SunSoak</strong> for heat stress on the person working outdoors,
<strong>precipitation</strong>, <strong>air quality index</strong> and <strong>pollen</strong>
(relevant for outdoor workers and spray-window planning), and the three soil columns:
<strong>surface soil temperature</strong>, <strong>soil temperature at 6 cm</strong>
(the root zone for most seedlings), and <strong>soil moisture</strong> — so you know
whether the ground is workable or waterlogged before you head out.
</p>
<p>
<strong>Cycling</strong> — tailored for road and trail cyclists. Wind is the dominant
factor: headwinds add significant effort, crosswinds affect handling, and gusts are a
safety concern on open roads. Shows <strong>air temperature</strong>, <strong>wind speed
and direction</strong>, <strong>cloud cover</strong>, <strong>burn time</strong>,
<strong>SunSoak</strong>, <strong>precipitation</strong>, and <strong>visibility</strong>
— useful for road cycling in low-light or foggy conditions.
</p>
<p>
<strong>Running</strong> — for outdoor runners monitoring heat stress and air quality.
Shows <strong>air temperature</strong>, <strong>relative humidity</strong> (sweat
evaporation is less effective in humid air, raising heat stress faster),
<strong>wind speed</strong>, <strong>cloud cover</strong>, <strong>UTCI</strong> for raw
heat stress, <strong>burn time</strong>, <strong>SunSoak</strong>, <strong>precipitation</strong>,
and <strong>pollen</strong> — relevant for asthma and hay fever sufferers pacing their
outdoor training.
</p>
<p>
<strong>Dog Walking</strong> — focused on the comfort and safety of both owner and dog.
Shows <strong>air temperature</strong>, <strong>wind speed</strong>, <strong>cloud
cover</strong>, <strong>SunSoak</strong>, <strong>precipitation</strong>, and
<strong>pollen</strong>. The Vehicle profile's concrete surface temperature is the better
companion for pavement heat safety on hot days.
</p>
<p>
<strong>Sailing · Extra</strong> — conditions out at sea can be dramatically different from
what the shore feels like. Leads with <strong>air temperature</strong> (hypothermia is a
real risk — water conducts heat away from the body twenty-five times faster than air),
<strong>dew point</strong> (condensation on sails and equipment is a practical concern at
dawn and dusk), <strong>wind speed</strong> with gusts, <strong>wind direction</strong>,
<strong>cloud cover</strong>, and <strong>sun elevation</strong> for visibility and glare.
UV exposure is significantly higher on open water due to reflection off the surface, so
<strong>UV-A index</strong> and <strong>burn time</strong> are included.
<strong>SunSoak</strong> captures the combined effect of wet, windy conditions,
<strong>visibility</strong> (essential for safe passage — fog and haze at sea are serious
hazards), and <strong>precipitation</strong> rounds out the picture for passage planning.
</p>
<p>
<strong>Winter Sports · Extra</strong> — for skiers, snowboarders, and mountain walkers. UV
intensity increases by roughly 10% for every 1,000 m of altitude, and snow reflects up
to 80% of UV back upward — making mountain environments one of the highest-risk UV
exposures outside a solarium. Both <strong>UV-A</strong> and <strong>UV-B</strong> are
shown with <strong>burn time</strong>. <strong>Wind speed and direction</strong> is
critical for wind chill at speed and for avalanche and exposure risk on open slopes.
<strong>Sun elevation</strong> indicates glare and visibility conditions on snow.
<strong>SunSoak</strong>, <strong>air temperature</strong>, <strong>cloud cover</strong>,
<strong>visibility</strong> (critical for whiteout and low-cloud conditions on the
mountain), and <strong>precipitation</strong> (snow vs rain) complete the picture.
</p>
<p>
<strong>Naturist · Extra</strong> — with no clothing buffer between skin and environment,
every weather variable matters more. Wind chill at even modest speeds becomes significant,
so both the raw <strong>UTCI</strong> and <strong>SunSoak</strong> are shown. Both
<strong>UV-A</strong> and <strong>UV-B</strong> are included — full-body UV exposure is a
serious consideration — alongside <strong>burn time</strong>, <strong>sun elevation</strong>,
<strong>dew point</strong> for humidity comfort, <strong>wind</strong>, <strong>cloud
cover</strong>, <strong>air quality index</strong>, <strong>pollen</strong>,
and <strong>precipitation</strong>.
</p>
<p>
<strong>Hiking · Extra</strong> — for hillwalkers and long-distance trail users. Conditions
in upland and remote terrain can shift rapidly and the consequences of being caught out are
more serious than in urban areas. Shows <strong>air temperature</strong>, <strong>wind speed
and direction</strong>, <strong>cloud cover</strong>, <strong>sun elevation</strong>, both
<strong>UV-A</strong> and <strong>UV-B</strong> with <strong>burn time</strong> (altitude
increases UV exposure), <strong>UTCI</strong> and <strong>SunSoak</strong>,
<strong>precipitation</strong>, and <strong>visibility</strong> (critical for navigation
in poor conditions).
</p>
<p>
<strong>Photography · Extra</strong> — for outdoor and landscape photographers who need
to understand light quality, cloud diffusion, and solar position. Shows <strong>air
temperature</strong>, <strong>cloud cover</strong>, <strong>sun elevation</strong>,
<strong>direct radiation</strong> and <strong>diffuse radiation</strong> (the ratio of
these two values determines whether light is harsh or soft), <strong>visibility</strong>
(haze and atmospheric clarity), and <strong>precipitation</strong>.
</p>
<p>
<strong>Fishing · Extra</strong> — river and sea anglers need to read conditions that most
weather apps don't surface. Shows <strong>air temperature</strong>, <strong>dew point</strong>
(morning condensation and hatch activity on rivers), <strong>wind speed and direction</strong>,
<strong>cloud cover</strong>, <strong>SunSoak</strong> for what it will actually feel like
on an exposed bank or boat, <strong>precipitation</strong>, and <strong>visibility</strong>
for sea and estuary conditions.
</p>
</div>
<div class="profile-block">
<p class="profile-name">🌡️ Temps · Extra</p>
<p>
A comparison view that brings all temperature-derived columns into one place:
<strong>air temperature</strong>, <strong>SunSoak felt temperature</strong>,
<strong>surface soil temperature</strong>, <strong>concrete surface temperature</strong>,
<strong>vehicle interior temperature</strong>, <strong>indoor temperature</strong>, and
<strong>managed indoor temperature</strong>. Useful for understanding how the same weather conditions
manifest across different environments simultaneously.
</p>
</div>
<div class="profile-block">
<p class="profile-name">⚙️ Custom · Extra</p>
<p>
Full control over which columns appear in the table. Toggle any combination of air
temperature, dew point, relative humidity, wind, direction, cloud, visibility, air quality
index, pollen, sun elevation, direct and diffuse radiation, mean radiant temperature,
UTCI delta, UTCI, UV-A, UV-B, burn time, vehicle interior, indoor, managed indoor,
soil temperatures, soil moisture, concrete surface, precipitation, and SunSoak. Build
exactly the view that suits your situation.
</p>
</div>
<h2>Column reference</h2>
<p>Every column in the SunScope forecast table is described below.</p>
<table class="stress-table col-ref-table">
<thead>
<tr><th>Column</th><th>What it shows</th></tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr><td><strong>Air °C</strong></td><td>Standard air temperature at 2 m above ground — the thermometer reading. Does not account for sun, wind, or humidity.</td></tr>
<tr><td><strong>RH %</strong></td><td>Relative humidity: how much moisture the air holds as a percentage of its maximum capacity at that temperature. High RH makes warm days feel stickier and cold days feel rawer.</td></tr>
<tr><td><strong>Dew Point</strong></td><td>The temperature at which air becomes saturated and moisture begins to condense. Above 16 °C it starts to feel muggy; above 21 °C it feels oppressive. A better measure of absolute humidity than RH.</td></tr>
<tr><td><strong>Wind</strong></td><td>Mean wind speed at 10 m, with peak gust in brackets where significantly higher. Wind is the primary driver of wind chill — a key ingredient in the UTCI calculation.</td></tr>
<tr><td><strong>Dir</strong></td><td>The compass direction the wind is blowing from, shown as an arrow and abbreviated label. Useful for route planning and spray timing.</td></tr>
<tr><td><strong>Cloud</strong></td><td>Total cloud cover as a percentage of sky. High cloud blocks solar radiation, reducing daytime heating and UV exposure.</td></tr>
<tr><td><strong>Visibility km</strong></td><td>Horizontal visibility in kilometres, sourced from the Copernicus CAMS air quality model. Below 1 km indicates fog or very thick haze; below 10 km suggests mist, smoke, or significant pollution. Relevant for driving, flying, cycling, and photography.</td></tr>
<tr><td><strong>AQI</strong></td><td>European Air Quality Index (0–100+), combining PM2.5, PM10, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, and sulphur dioxide. 0–20 = Good; 20–40 = Fair; 40–60 = Moderate; 60–80 = Poor; 80–100 = Very Poor; 100+ = Hazardous. Sourced from Copernicus CAMS.</td></tr>
<tr><td><strong>Pollen</strong></td><td>Pollen concentration in grains per cubic metre for the selected pollen type — choose from total, grass, birch, alder, mugwort, olive, or ragweed via the dropdown. Sourced from the Copernicus CAMS pollen forecast. Low = &lt;10; Moderate = 10–50; High = 50–200; Very High = 200+.</td></tr>
<tr><td><strong>Sun °</strong></td><td>The angle of the sun above the horizon in degrees. Below 0° the sun has set. The higher the elevation, the more intense the radiation reaching the ground.</td></tr>
<tr><td><strong>Direct W/m²</strong></td><td>Shortwave solar radiation arriving as a direct beam from the sun. The primary driver of skin heating on sunny days.</td></tr>
<tr><td><strong>Diffuse W/m²</strong></td><td>Solar radiation scattered from all directions across the sky. Present even under cloud cover; contributes to the overall solar heat load.</td></tr>
<tr><td><strong>Tmrt °C</strong></td><td>Mean Radiant Temperature — the temperature your skin effectively "sees" from all surrounding surfaces and the sun combined. Can exceed air temperature by 20–30 °C on a sunny day; this is why shade feels so much cooler.</td></tr>
<tr><td><strong>UTCI−Air Δ</strong></td><td>The gap between the UTCI felt temperature and the plain air temperature. A large positive value means solar radiation is adding significant heat stress beyond what the thermometer shows.</td></tr>
<tr><td><strong>UTCI °C</strong></td><td>Universal Thermal Climate Index — the raw felt temperature combining air temp, humidity, wind, and solar radiation. Does not include precipitation effects.</td></tr>
<tr><td><strong>UV-A</strong></td><td>Estimated UV-A radiation index. UV-A penetrates deeper into the skin and contributes to long-term ageing and some skin cancers, even through glass. Present throughout daylight hours.</td></tr>
<tr><td><strong>UV-B</strong></td><td>Estimated UV-B radiation index. Causes sunburn and drives vitamin D production. Intensity falls sharply at low solar elevations due to the longer atmospheric path length.</td></tr>
<tr><td><strong>Burn time</strong></td><td>Estimated time to reach one Minimal Erythemal Dose (MED) — the threshold for sunburn — based on the UV index and your selected Fitzpatrick skin type. A guide, not a medical measurement.</td></tr>
<tr><td><strong>SunSoak °C</strong></td><td>SunScope's signature felt-temperature index. Starts from UTCI then adds three layers: a rain and snow penalty (wet clothing can drop felt temperature by up to 8 °C), an environment modifier for where you actually are (forest, alpine, beach, river, desert), and full mean radiant temperature from surrounding surfaces. The most honest single answer to: what will it actually feel like out there?</td></tr>
<tr><td><strong>Precip mm</strong></td><td>Expected rainfall or snowfall in mm per hour. Even light drizzle meaningfully reduces felt temperature when combined with wind.</td></tr>
<tr><td><strong>Soil °C surface</strong></td><td>Temperature of the soil at the surface (0 cm depth). Most seeds germinate above 7–10 °C. Useful for sowing decisions and frost assessment.</td></tr>
<tr><td><strong>Soil °C 6 cm</strong></td><td>Soil temperature at 6 cm depth — the root zone for many crops and seedlings. Lags behind the surface by several hours.</td></tr>
<tr><td><strong>Soil moisture</strong></td><td>Water saturation of the top 1 cm of soil as a percentage. Above 40% indicates saturated ground; below 20% is dry. Useful for assessing whether ground is workable, and for motorhome or caravan pitch suitability.</td></tr>
<tr><td><strong>Concrete °C</strong></td><td>Estimated temperature of sun-exposed urban paving. Concrete absorbs more solar energy than grass and cannot cool itself through evaporation — surface temps can run 15–25 °C above air temperature on sunny days.</td></tr>
<tr><td><strong>Vehicle °C</strong></td><td>Estimated ambient cabin temperature inside a sealed, parked vehicle — adjusted for your chosen vehicle type. Values above 35 °C are dangerous for children and pets; above 45 °C potentially fatal within minutes.</td></tr>
<tr><td><strong>Indoors °C</strong></td><td>Estimated temperature inside a building with windows closed and no active cooling. Select your building type from the dropdown — brick, modern insulated, Victorian terrace, stone cottage, timber frame, top-floor flat, or conservatory. Each type has its own insulation, retained warmth, thermal mass, and glazing characteristics. Indoor peak typically lags the outdoor peak by 2–4 hours due to thermal mass.</td></tr>
<tr><td><strong>Managed °C</strong></td><td>The same building model with two interventions applied: curtains closed by day to block solar gain, and windows opened whenever outdoor air is cooler than inside. Toggle with the Managed tick next to the building dropdown. Shows how much passive cooling can reduce indoor heat compared to doing nothing.</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h2>Urban heat: concrete surface temperature</h2>
<p>
The UTCI standard was developed with a natural grass surface as its reference ground — the
assumption being that you're standing in a park or open field. In a city, that assumption
breaks down. Concrete and tarmac absorb more solar energy than grass, and unlike grass they
cannot cool themselves through evaporation. On a sunny summer afternoon, exposed concrete
can run 15–25 °C hotter than the surrounding air.
</p>
<p>
SunScope's <strong>Concrete surface</strong> column estimates the temperature of sun-exposed
urban paving using an energy-balance model that accounts for how much solar radiation the
surface absorbs, how efficiently the air above it carries that heat away (which depends on
wind speed), and the reflective properties of typical urban concrete. The result gives you
a sense of the contact heat stress you'd experience sitting, standing, or walking barefoot
on city surfaces — something the standard UTCI value alone won't tell you.
</p>
<p>
The column is enabled by default in the <strong>Places → Urban</strong> variant and colour-coded:
values above 30 °C are shown in amber, above 40 °C in red.
</p>
<h2>Vehicle interior temperature</h2>
<p>
A sealed, parked vehicle heats up far faster than most people expect. SunScope's
<strong>Vehicle</strong> column models the ambient cabin air temperature experienced by an
occupant who is seated out of direct sunlight — the classic scenario of a child or pet left
inside a parked car.
</p>
<p>
The calculation combines two physical processes. The first is <strong>body panel
conduction</strong>: body panels absorb solar radiation and conduct heat into the cabin
regardless of the sun's position in the sky. Thin metal car panels pass much more of this
heat through than the insulated sandwich panels used in many motorhomes and caravans. This
is the slow, relentless background heat that builds even on overcast days. The second is
<strong>side-window solar gain</strong>: when the sun is at an elevation where its rays
cut through the side glass rather than striking the roof or reflecting off at a shallow
angle, additional heat enters the cabin. Because the occupant is modelled as sitting out of
the direct beam, this energy goes into raising the ambient cabin air temperature rather than
heating the person directly — which is precisely what makes it so dangerous. The air around
you heats up steadily while you remain unaware of how hot the environment has become.
</p>
<p>
Wind speed has almost no effect on a sealed vehicle and is not factored in unless the
Ventilation toggle is enabled. For cars, the figure represents the cabin temperature after
roughly 45–60 minutes of parking. For motorhomes and caravans, the model allows for lower
heat gain, slower response from insulated panels, and retained occupied-space warmth, so
the estimate stays much closer to the real living-space temperature on cool or moderate
sunny days. Values above 35 °C are shown in amber (dangerous for children and pets);
above 45 °C in red (potentially fatal within minutes).
</p>
<h2>Reading the stress bands</h2>
<p>SunScope maps every SunSoak value to a thermal stress band so you can read conditions at a glance:</p>
<table class="stress-table">
<thead>
<tr><th>UTCI range</th><th>Band</th><th>What it means outdoors</th></tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr><td><span class="swatch" style="background:#23408f"></span>Below −27 °C</td><td>Polar</td><td>Survivable only with expedition-grade kit; do not go outside unprepared</td></tr>
<tr><td><span class="swatch" style="background:#3f73c4"></span>−27 to −13 °C</td><td>Arctic</td><td>Very strong cold stress; full winter protection needed</td></tr>
<tr><td><span class="swatch" style="background:#7eb0e0"></span>−13 to 0 °C</td><td>Freezing</td><td>Strong cold stress; warm layers essential</td></tr>
<tr><td><span class="swatch" style="background:#bcd9ec"></span>0 to 9 °C</td><td>Cold</td><td>Moderate cold stress; coat and gloves advised</td></tr>
<tr><td><span class="swatch" style="background:#c8dcc0"></span>9 to 18 °C</td><td>Chilled</td><td>Slight cold stress; comfortable with a light jacket</td></tr>
<tr><td><span class="swatch" style="background:#4a8a3a"></span>18 to 26 °C</td><td>Comfortable</td><td>No thermal stress; ideal outdoor conditions</td></tr>
<tr><td><span class="swatch" style="background:#f5c842"></span>26 to 32 °C</td><td>Mod heat</td><td>Moderate heat stress; stay hydrated</td></tr>
<tr><td><span class="swatch" style="background:#f5821f"></span>32 to 38 °C</td><td>Strong heat</td><td>Strong heat stress; limit strenuous activity</td></tr>
<tr><td><span class="swatch" style="background:#e03030"></span>38 to 46 °C</td><td>V. strong heat</td><td>Very strong heat stress; seek shade and cool fluids</td></tr>
<tr><td><span class="swatch" style="background:#8b1a1a"></span>Above 46 °C</td><td>Extreme heat</td><td>Extreme heat stress; dangerous for outdoor exposure</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h2>Frequently asked questions</h2>
<details class="faq-block">
<summary class="faq-q">Why does SunScope sometimes show a much higher temperature than my regular weather app?</summary>
<p class="faq-a">On clear, sunny days direct solar radiation heats your skin significantly — sometimes adding 10 °C or more to what the air temperature alone would suggest. SunScope calculates Mean Radiant Temperature from shortwave radiation data, capturing this effect. Standard weather apps ignore it entirely.</p>
</details>
<details class="faq-block">
<summary class="faq-q">Why does SunScope sometimes show a lower temperature than my regular weather app?</summary>
<p class="faq-a">Wind chill and precipitation both reduce felt temperature. If it's raining or blustery, the SunSoak value will be noticeably lower than the thermometer reading — which is exactly what your body experiences.</p>
</details>
<details class="faq-block">
<summary class="faq-q">What is UTCI and why is it better than a standard feels-like temperature?</summary>
<p class="faq-a">The Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) is a peer-reviewed biometeorological standard developed by Bröde et al. (2012) and used in public health systems worldwide. Unlike simple "feels like" values — which typically only apply a basic wind-chill or heat-index formula — UTCI combines air temperature, humidity, wind speed, and the full solar radiation load using a physiological model of the human body. It accounts for the mean radiant temperature your skin "sees" from all surrounding surfaces, not just the air around you. This makes it a much more accurate predictor of actual thermal comfort and heat stress.</p>
</details>
<details class="faq-block">
<summary class="faq-q">How hot does a car get in the sun?</summary>
<p class="faq-a">A sealed car in direct sunlight can reach cabin temperatures 20–30 °C above outside air temperature within 30–45 minutes. On a 25 °C day with strong sun, cabin air can hit 50–55 °C. SunScope models this hour by hour using the actual solar radiation forecast for your location, accounting for body panel conduction and window solar gain. Select the Vehicle profile and choose your vehicle type to see the estimate. Motorhomes and caravans use a separate insulated occupied-space model, so they warm much less aggressively than cars in heat, but can also stay several degrees warmer than outside air on cool sunny days. Values above 35 °C are dangerous for children and pets; above 45 °C can be fatal within minutes.</p>
</details>
<details class="faq-block">
<summary class="faq-q">Does opening car windows reduce the temperature inside?</summary>
<p class="faq-a">Yes, significantly. Open windows allow convective airflow to flush hot cabin air out continuously, reducing the heat build-up by roughly 60–80% compared to a sealed vehicle. SunScope's Vehicle column has a Ventilation toggle that switches the physics model to a ventilated state, showing you the estimated cabin temperature with windows open compared to fully sealed.</p>
</details>
<details class="faq-block">
<summary class="faq-q">Is it safe to leave a dog in a parked car?</summary>
<p class="faq-a">No — on any warm or sunny day, even with cloud cover, a sealed vehicle heats up rapidly to temperatures that can cause heatstroke and death in animals within minutes. Dogs cannot cool themselves as efficiently as humans and are at risk at cabin temperatures above 32 °C. SunScope's Vehicle interior column gives an hour-by-hour estimate of cabin temperature: if the forecast shows values in amber (above 35 °C) or red (above 45 °C), the vehicle is not safe for a dog, cat, or young child, even for a few minutes.</p>
</details>
<details class="faq-block">
<summary class="faq-q">How do I keep my house cool in a heatwave without air conditioning?</summary>
<p class="faq-a">The standard approach is to keep curtains and blinds closed during the day to block direct solar gain through windows, then open windows once the outdoor air temperature drops below the indoor temperature — usually in the evening or early morning. SunScope's Home profile lets you select your building type (brick, modern, Victorian terrace, stone cottage, timber frame, flat, or conservatory) so the model reflects how your building actually heats up. Ticking Managed shows what you could achieve by following this advice, hour by hour — so you can see exactly when to open up for maximum benefit and how much difference it actually makes.</p>
</details>
<details class="faq-block">
<summary class="faq-q">Why is my house hotter in the evening than during the day?</summary>
<p class="faq-a">Building materials absorb heat slowly throughout the day and release it gradually over several hours — a property called thermal mass. How pronounced the effect is depends heavily on construction: a solid stone cottage or Victorian terrace has very high thermal mass and can stay warm well into the night, while a timber frame new build or conservatory responds almost immediately to outdoor temperature changes. SunScope's building type dropdown lets you match the model to your actual home, so the indoor temperature lag it shows reflects your building rather than an average.</p>
</details>
<details class="faq-block">
<summary class="faq-q">How hot does pavement or concrete get in summer?</summary>
<p class="faq-a">Exposed concrete and tarmac can be 15–25 °C hotter than the surrounding air on a sunny day. Unlike grass, they have no evaporative cooling mechanism and their dark colour means they absorb a large fraction of incoming solar radiation. This is a real hazard for dogs walking on pavements, barefoot children, and cyclists — and it also radiates heat back upward, making urban areas feel significantly warmer than open countryside. SunScope's Concrete surface column estimates this temperature using an energy-balance model driven by the real solar radiation forecast.</p>
</details>
<details class="faq-block">
<summary class="faq-q">What is UV-A and UV-B and what is the difference?</summary>
<p class="faq-a">UV-A has a longer wavelength and penetrates deeper into the skin. It is present throughout all daylight hours, passes through glass, and is the primary cause of long-term skin ageing and contributes to some skin cancers. UV-B has a shorter wavelength, causes sunburn directly, and drives vitamin D production. UV-B intensity is much more angle-dependent: it is strongest when the sun is high and falls sharply in the early morning and late afternoon due to the longer atmospheric path the radiation has to travel. SunScope shows both indices separately so you can make informed decisions about both immediate burn risk and long-term UV exposure.</p>
</details>
<details class="faq-block">
<summary class="faq-q">How long can I spend in the sun before I get sunburned?</summary>
<p class="faq-a">It depends on your skin type and the current UV index. SunScope's Burn time column estimates the minutes to one Minimal Erythemal Dose (MED) — the clinical threshold for the onset of sunburn — based on the UV forecast and your Fitzpatrick skin type, selectable from the column bar. Fair skin (type I–II) may burn in under 10 minutes at UV index 8+; darker skin (type V–VI) can tolerate significantly longer exposure. These figures assume no sunscreen and direct, unshaded exposure.</p>
</details>
<details class="faq-block">
<summary class="faq-q">When is it safe to spray crops or apply pesticides?</summary>
<p class="faq-a">Safe spraying requires low wind speeds (typically below 3 m/s), low temperatures to minimise evaporation and drift, and ideally no rain forecast within several hours. SunScope's Farming profile shows wind speed and direction, air temperature, relative humidity, dew point (to assess inversion risk and overnight settling conditions), and precipitation — giving you all the variables you need in one view without switching between apps.</p>
</details>
<details class="faq-block">
<summary class="faq-q">What soil temperature do seeds need to germinate?</summary>
<p class="faq-a">Most vegetable seeds need soil temperatures above 7–10 °C to germinate reliably, with warm-season crops like courgettes, beans, and sweetcorn requiring 12–15 °C or more. SunScope shows both surface soil temperature and 6 cm depth temperature — the root zone where germination actually happens. The 6 cm figure lags behind the surface by several hours and gives a more realistic picture of what seeds in the ground are actually experiencing.</p>
</details>
<details class="faq-block">
<summary class="faq-q">How can I tell if the ground is too wet for a motorhome or caravan?</summary>
<p class="faq-a">SunScope's soil moisture column shows the water saturation of the top centimetre of soil as a percentage. A reading above 40% indicates saturated ground where a heavy vehicle is likely to sink or churn the surface. Below 20% is dry and firm. The Vehicle profile includes soil moisture by default precisely for motorhome and caravan users who need to assess pitch suitability before arriving on site.</p>
</details>
<details class="faq-block">
<summary class="faq-q">Does SunScope show air quality or pollen forecasts?</summary>
<p class="faq-a">Yes. Three air environment columns sit together after Cloud cover in the table: <strong>Visibility</strong> (horizontal visibility in km — useful for fog, haze, and driving conditions), <strong>AQI</strong> (the European Air Quality Index combining PM2.5, PM10, ozone, NO₂, and SO₂ in a 0–100+ scale), and <strong>Pollen</strong> (concentration in grains per cubic metre with a type picker — grass, birch, alder, mugwort, olive, ragweed, or total). All three are sourced from the Copernicus CAMS forecast. Toggle them on or off using the column buttons above the table.</p>
</details>
<details class="faq-block">
<summary class="faq-q">What does the weather icon and temperature on each day tab mean?</summary>
<p class="faq-a">Each day tab in the date strip shows a small weather icon representing the dominant daytime sky conditions — a sun disc for clear days, cloud variants (wispy cirrus, scattered cumulus, overcast) for cloudy days, or a precipitation icon for rainy or snowy days. Below the icon are the day's high and low SunSoak felt temperatures in warm and cool colours. The icon is derived from actual daytime solar elevation and cloud data, so it reflects the real character of the day rather than a generic symbol.</p>
</details>
<details class="faq-block">
<summary class="faq-q">What are the weather event banners above the forecast table?</summary>
<p class="faq-a">When notable weather conditions are forecast — such as a ground frost, strong wind warning, fog, or a heat event — a banner with a brief alert appears above the table. Tapping or clicking the event icon opens a description popup with more detail about what the condition means and what to watch out for. Multiple events can appear at once if conditions warrant.</p>
</details>
<details class="faq-block">
<summary class="faq-q">How far ahead does the forecast go?</summary>
<p class="faq-a">The free tier shows 3 days of hourly data. SunScope Extra unlocks all 14 days. The forecast auto-refreshes every 5 minutes while the page is open, so the current hour always reflects the latest available data from Open-Meteo.</p>
</details>
<details class="faq-block">
<summary class="faq-q">How accurate is SunScope?</summary>
<p class="faq-a">SunScope uses Open-Meteo forecast data sourced from ECMWF and national meteorological services — the same underlying models used by professional forecasters. The UTCI calculation follows the peer-reviewed Bröde 2012 polynomial exactly. The derived columns (vehicle temperature, indoor temperature, concrete surface, UV) are physics-based estimates rather than measured values, and should be treated as informed approximations. Real-world values will vary based on local factors like building construction, shading, surface colour, and vegetation.</p>
</details>
<details class="faq-block">
<summary class="faq-q">Is SunScope free?</summary>
<p class="faq-a">The core forecast — Basic, Home, Vehicle, Farming, and the Places (Urban, Beach, Events) variants — is free for any location worldwide. SunScope Extra (£2/month) unlocks 14-day forecasts, the specialist Places variants (Festival, Winter Sports, Naturist, Sailing), the Temps comparison profile, and Custom column control.</p>
</details>
<details class="faq-block">
<summary class="faq-q">What data sources does SunScope use?</summary>
<p class="faq-a">Forecast data comes from <a href="https://open-meteo.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Open-Meteo</a>, which aggregates ECMWF, GFS, and national meteorological service models. The UTCI calculation follows the Bröde et al. 2012 polynomial. Air quality, visibility, and pollen data are sourced from the Open-Meteo Air Quality API, which draws on the Copernicus CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) forecast. Geolocation search uses the Open-Meteo geocoding API.</p>
</details>
<details class="faq-block">
<summary class="faq-q">Does SunScope work outside the UK?</summary>
<p class="faq-a">Yes — SunScope works for any location worldwide. Search for any city, town, or village using the search bar. The indoor temperature model offers seven building types — brick, modern insulated, Victorian terrace, stone cottage, timber frame, top-floor flat, and conservatory — so you can pick the one that best matches your building wherever you are. All other columns (UTCI, vehicle, UV, soil, concrete) are fully location-agnostic.</p>
</details>
<details class="faq-block">
<summary class="faq-q">What is the difference between UTCI and heat index?</summary>
<p class="faq-a">Heat index is a simple table-based formula that adjusts air temperature for humidity only — it was designed for shade conditions and ignores wind and solar radiation entirely. UTCI is a full physiological model that accounts for all four factors simultaneously: air temperature, humidity, wind speed, and the mean radiant temperature from solar radiation and surrounding surfaces. In sunny, windy, or mixed conditions, the two values can differ by 10–20 °C. UTCI is the standard used in European heat-health warning systems and urban heat research.</p>
</details>
<details class="faq-block">
<summary class="faq-q">Why does the sky display show the wrong time of day?</summary>
<p class="faq-a">The sky scope always shows current conditions — it reflects the actual time right now, not the hour you are browsing in the table. The sun position, sky colour, and glow intensity are all calculated from the real solar elevation and radiation data for the current moment. If you are looking at a future or past hour in the forecast table, the sky display will not follow — it stays locked to now.</p>
</details>
<h2>Get in touch</h2>
<p>
SunScope is an independent project. If you have feedback, spotted a bug, or are interested in
using SunScope data for your business or website, feel free to reach out via
<a href="mailto:hello@sunscope.net">hello@sunscope.net</a>.
</p>
</main>
<footer>
&copy; 2026 <a href="https://fraxle.net" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Fraxle.NET</a> · <a href="./index.html">Forecast</a> · <a href="./about.html">About</a> · <a href="./faq.html">FAQ</a> · <a href="https://billing.stripe.com/p/login/9B63cw7vl8k15Ei9DQd7q00" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Account</a> · Data: <a href="https://open-meteo.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Open-Meteo</a> · UTCI: <a href="https://utci.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bröde 2012</a>
</footer>
</body>
</html>
Reference in New Issue View Git Blame Copy Permalink