Geographia Polonica (2013) vol. 86, iss. 1
Use of the UTCI in the Czech Republic
Geographia Polonica (2013) vol. 86, iss. 1, pp. 21-28 | 
Full text
doi: https://doi.org/GPol.2013.3
Abstract
The new Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) was designed for use in the human bioclimatology and biometeorologyfield. This article describes a set of basic tests used to test the UTCI. These tests were made using real data fromselected meteorological stations in the Czech Republic. Days with extreme temperatures and days with extremely windyconditions (extratropical cyclone known as ‘hurricane Kyrill’, January 18-19, 2007) were selected for the UTCI testing. TheUniversal Thermal Climate Index is different from other, more commonly used indices. A complete set of meteorologicaland radiation factors: air temperature, humidity, wind speed and mean radiation temperature were used using whentesting the UTCI. Other indices were calculated using limited numbers of the following factors: air temperature andhumidity (Heat Index), air temperature and wind speed (Wind Chill), and also air temperature, humidity and wind speed(NET). Testing of the UTCI was necessary before the possible application of this index in the national weather serviceof the Czech Republic (CHMI).
Keywords: UTCI, thermal comfort/discomfort, biometeorological indices, bioweather forecast
[martin.novak@chmi.cz], Czech Hydrometeorological Institute Kočkovská 18, 400 11 Ústí nad Labem: Czech Republic