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OK, this bugged me for a LONG time and I have to seek some explanation.
What perplexed me is how one feels so differently under similar temperature in different countries. My examples are Shanghai vs. Toronto.
In the winter, when it is for example 2 degrees (36F) in Toronto, it is not terribly cold at all. You hardly need too many layers and it is totally fine to walk outside for hours. In Shanghai, if it is 2 degrees Celsius, it feels freezing! Your entire body felt like in an icebox no matter how many clothes you were. Anything under the freezing point is disastrous. 0C (32F) feels more like -10C (14F) in Toronto. I am talking about outside, not a difference of indoor heating or insulation.
In the spring, when it is only 14/15C (57F), you see tons of people in Toronto wearing nothing but a shirt, even in shorts. And it generally feels warm and nice. In Shanghai, it felt chilly at that temperature. You need at least one sweater and maybe a jacket outside. I was in Shanghai in late march 3 years ago. It was 17/18 C (64F) and I needed to put on a blanket in order to read on the couch. That's almost summer like weather in Toronto.
Then in the summer, I learned that 30C (86F) is quite hot in Toronto (this past weekend). The sun feels a lot stronger and burning. In Shanghai, it is hot weather too, but not as much. However, the difference is less prominent than winter/spring.
It just feels year round, Toronto feels 5-8 degrees warmer than what the temperature indicates. And I don't think it is just a matter of humidity, because on many of those days, I check the humidity index and it doesn't seem it is that much lower in Toronto at all.
Maybe because you were previously exposed to lower temperatures in Toronto the last few days, as opposed to Shanghai? It could be an opinion.
Also, I've noticed that as well.
For example, -10 °C in the morning doesn't feel very cold. Of course it's very cold, but I mean, it's fine. -5 °C during the evening at night, on the other hand, feels awful, to the point of shivering, sometimes. Maybe the Sun warms me up in the morning?
I noticed the same thing between Ottawa and Vancouver. In Vancouver when it's 0C in winter it feels really cold but Ottawa at the same temperature feels a lot nicer. I think there are 2 main reasons. The first is what temperatures in general you were exposed to ahead of time has some effect on how your body reacts. So if it was -10 and then warmed up to 0C, your body would register that as feeling a lot warmer than it would appear otherwise. I think humidity does play a role but absolute humidity vs relative humidity. For me anyway, I find the more moisture in the air at lower temperatures, the colder it feels and since Vancouver is a lot more moist in winter compared to Ottawa, that can make some of the difference.
I noticed the same thing between Ottawa and Vancouver. In Vancouver when it's 0C in winter it feels really cold but Ottawa at the same temperature feels a lot nicer. I think there are 2 main reasons. The first is what temperatures in general you were exposed to ahead of time has some effect on how your body reacts. So if it was -10 and then warmed up to 0C, your body would register that as feeling a lot warmer than it would appear otherwise. I think humidity does play a role but absolute humidity vs relative humidity. For me anyway, I find the more moisture in the air at lower temperatures, the colder it feels and since Vancouver is a lot more moist in winter compared to Ottawa, that can make some of the difference.
I can related to that with regard to Vancouver. It feels like Shanghai. I went once in late October, and although it was 50F (10C) or so, it felt quite cold. My hands were completely cold after being outside for hours. In Toronto, 10C is so warm that you have all kinds of outdoor sports.
I'm just guessing humidity was why. I've heard from many that like with warm temps, high humidity conditions with cold temps is more uncomfortable than dry and cold.
For instance, 21C in autumn would feel rather cool (since we were used to 28C+ temps). But that same temp in early spring (after bouts of days under 18C) would feel refreshingly warm and pleasant.
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