217 lines
12 KiB
HTML
217 lines
12 KiB
HTML
<!DOCTYPE html>
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<html lang="en">
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<head>
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<meta charset="UTF-8" />
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<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0" />
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<title>About SunScope · The True Temperature</title>
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<meta name="description" content="SunScope uses the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) and an original soak-factor formula to show how the weather will really feel on your body — including the effect of rain, snow, wind and solar radiation." />
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<meta name="robots" content="index, follow" />
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<link rel="canonical" href="https://sunscope.net/about.html" />
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<meta property="og:title" content="About SunScope · The True Temperature" />
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<meta property="og:description" content="What is UTCI? How does the SunScope soak-factor work? Learn how SunScope calculates urban concrete heat, vehicle interior temperatures, and gives you a more honest outdoor comfort forecast." />
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<link rel="stylesheet" href="./assets/about.css">
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<!-- Structured data for AEO / AI search -->
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<script type="application/ld+json">
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{
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"@context": "https://schema.org",
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"@type": "WebSite",
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"name": "SunScope",
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"url": "https://sunscope.net",
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"description": "SunScope is a free outdoor thermal comfort forecast using the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) and the SunScope soak-factor for precipitation."
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}
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</script>
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<script type="application/ld+json">
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{
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"@context": "https://schema.org",
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"@type": "FAQPage",
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"mainEntity": [
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{
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"@type": "Question",
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"name": "What is UTCI?",
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"acceptedAnswer": {
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"@type": "Answer",
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"text": "The Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) is a biometeorological standard that combines air temperature, humidity, wind speed, and solar radiation into a single felt-temperature value. It was developed by Bröde et al. (2012) and is used worldwide in heat-health warning systems."
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}
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},
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{
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"@type": "Question",
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"name": "What is the SunScope soak-factor?",
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"acceptedAnswer": {
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"@type": "Answer",
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"text": "The SunScope soak-factor is an original precipitation penalty formula that reduces the UTCI value based on rain intensity, snowfall, and wind speed — reflecting the extra chill of wet clothing and skin that standard UTCI does not account for."
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}
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},
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{
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"@type": "Question",
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"name": "How accurate is SunScope?",
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"acceptedAnswer": {
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"@type": "Answer",
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"text": "SunScope uses Open-Meteo forecast data, which is sourced from ECMWF and national meteorological services. The UTCI calculation follows the peer-reviewed Bröde 2012 polynomial. The soak-factor is an original model and should be treated as an informed estimate rather than a scientific measurement."
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}
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}
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]
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}
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</script>
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</head>
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<body>
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<header>
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<a href="./index.html" class="logo"><span class="logo-sun">SUN</span><span class="logo-scope">Scope</span></a>
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<a href="./index.html">Home</a>
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<a href="./about.html" class="active">About</a>
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</header>
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<main>
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<h1>About SunScope</h1>
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<p class="tagline">The True Temperature — what the weather actually feels like on your body.</p>
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<h2>What is SunScope?</h2>
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<p>
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SunScope is a free outdoor thermal comfort forecast that goes beyond standard air temperature.
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Most weather apps tell you it's 12 °C and leave you to guess whether that means t-shirt weather
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or a heavy coat. SunScope combines air temperature, humidity, wind speed, and solar radiation
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into a single <strong>felt temperature</strong> — so you know what to actually expect when you
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step outside.
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</p>
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<p>
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It uses the <strong>Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI)</strong>, a peer-reviewed
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biometeorological standard developed by <a href="https://utci.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bröde et al. (2012)</a>
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and used globally in heat-health warning systems and urban planning. Forecast data is sourced
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in real time from <strong>Open-Meteo</strong>, a free and open-source weather API drawing on
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ECMWF and national met services. SunScope is available for any location worldwide.
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</p>
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<h2>What is the SunScope soak-factor?</h2>
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<p>
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Standard UTCI does not account for precipitation — it tells you how cold the wind and sun make
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you feel, but not the extra chill of rain soaking your clothing or snow settling on your skin.
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The <strong>SunScope soak-factor</strong> fills that gap with an original penalty formula.
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</p>
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<p>
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Light drizzle (under 1 mm/hr) reduces the felt temperature by roughly 1–2 °C. Heavy rain
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combined with strong wind can push it down by 7–8 °C. Snowfall carries an additional penalty
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on top of any rain adjustment. The result is shown in the <strong>UTCI+P</strong> column —
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a more honest, real-world comfort score for anyone heading outdoors.
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</p>
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<h2>Urban heat: concrete surface temperature</h2>
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<p>
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The UTCI standard was developed with a natural grass surface as its reference ground — the
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assumption being that you're standing in a park or open field. In a city, that assumption
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breaks down. Concrete and tarmac absorb more solar energy than grass, and unlike grass they
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cannot cool themselves through evaporation. On a sunny summer afternoon, exposed concrete
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can run 15–25 °C hotter than the surrounding air.
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</p>
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<p>
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SunScope's <strong>Concrete surface</strong> column estimates the temperature of sun-exposed
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urban paving using an energy-balance model that accounts for how much solar radiation the
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surface absorbs, how efficiently the air above it carries that heat away (which depends on
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wind speed), and the reflective properties of typical urban concrete. The result gives you
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a sense of the contact heat stress you'd experience sitting, standing, or walking barefoot
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on city surfaces — something the standard UTCI value alone won't tell you.
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</p>
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<p>
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The column is enabled by default in the <strong>Urban</strong> profile and colour-coded:
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values above 30 °C are shown in amber, above 40 °C in red.
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</p>
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<h2>Vehicle interior temperature</h2>
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<p>
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A sealed, parked vehicle heats up far faster than most people expect. SunScope's
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<strong>Vehicle</strong> column models the ambient cabin air temperature experienced by an
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occupant who is seated out of direct sunlight — the classic scenario of a child or pet left
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inside a parked car.
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</p>
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<p>
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The calculation combines two physical processes. The first is <strong>body panel
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conduction</strong>: metal body panels (roof, doors, bonnet) absorb solar radiation and
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conduct heat into the cabin regardless of the sun's position in the sky. This is the slow,
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relentless background heat that builds even on overcast days. The second is
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<strong>side-window solar gain</strong>: when the sun is at an elevation where its rays
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cut through the side glass rather than striking the roof or reflecting off at a shallow
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angle, additional heat enters the cabin. Because the occupant is modelled as sitting out of
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the direct beam, this energy goes into raising the ambient cabin air temperature rather than
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heating the person directly — which is precisely what makes it so dangerous. The air around
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you heats up steadily while you remain unaware of how hot the environment has become.
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</p>
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<p>
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Wind speed has almost no effect on a sealed vehicle and is not factored in. The figure shown
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represents a steady-state cabin temperature reached after approximately 45–60 minutes of
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parking. Values above 35 °C are shown in amber (dangerous for children and pets); above
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45 °C in red (potentially fatal within minutes).
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</p>
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<h2>Reading the stress bands</h2>
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<p>SunScope maps every UTCI+P value to a thermal stress band so you can read conditions at a glance:</p>
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<table class="stress-table">
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<thead>
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<tr><th>UTCI range</th><th>Band</th><th>What it means outdoors</th></tr>
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</thead>
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<tbody>
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<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>
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<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>
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<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>
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<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>
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<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>
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<tr><td><span class="swatch" style="background:#6ab05a"></span>18 to 26 °C</td><td>Comfortable</td><td>No thermal stress; ideal outdoor conditions</td></tr>
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<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>
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<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>
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<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>
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<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>
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</tbody>
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</table>
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<h2>Frequently asked questions</h2>
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<div class="faq-block">
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<p class="faq-q">Why does SunScope sometimes show a much higher temperature than my regular weather app?</p>
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<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>
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</div>
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<div class="faq-block">
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<p class="faq-q">Why does SunScope sometimes show a lower temperature than my regular weather app?</p>
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<p class="faq-a">Wind chill and precipitation both reduce felt temperature. If it's raining or blustery, the UTCI+P value will be noticeably lower than the thermometer reading — which is exactly what your body experiences.</p>
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</div>
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<div class="faq-block">
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<p class="faq-q">How far ahead does the forecast go?</p>
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<p class="faq-a">SunScope currently shows a 72-hour hourly forecast. Data refreshes automatically from Open-Meteo each time you load the page.</p>
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</div>
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<div class="faq-block">
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<p class="faq-q">Is SunScope free?</p>
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<p class="faq-a">SunScope beta is currently free to use for any location worldwide. As the product develops, some features may move to a paid tier — but core forecasting will always be accessible.</p>
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</div>
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<div class="faq-block">
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<p class="faq-q">What data sources does SunScope use?</p>
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<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. Geolocation search uses the Open-Meteo geocoding API.</p>
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</div>
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<h2>Get in touch</h2>
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<p>
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SunScope is an independent project. If you have feedback, spotted a bug, or are interested in
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using SunScope data for your business or website, feel free to reach out via
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<a href="mailto:hello@sunscope.net">hello@sunscope.net</a>.
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</p>
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</main>
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<footer>
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© 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> · 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>
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</footer>
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