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I recently moved from a Fahrenheit-using country to one where the weather is typically given in Celsius. The Fahrenheit temperatures map onto reasonably discre

I recently moved from a Fahrenheit-using country to one where the weather is typically given in Celsius. The Fahrenheit temperatures map onto reasonably discrete "comfort ranges" for me. If it's going to be in the 50s, I might want a light jacket. I don't need one if it's in the 60s, and probably want short sleeves in the 70s (definitely in the 80s). In contrast, if it's going to be in the "teens" in Celcius, the weather might require anything from a jacket to short sleeves.

lucb1e 10y ago
Might have something to do with your moving from one to the other. Living in the Netherlands I know perfectly well what to wear when it's 11 or 18 degrees. To me it sounds like you're saying dollars are hard to use since you were used to yen. With dollars everything is 100 times closer together.
TillE 10y ago
> if it's going to be in the "teens" in Celcius So don't think like that. Consider five degree increments instead. After a little bit of experience it's quite simple.
- mattkrause 10y ago
  Obviously, this is not one of the insoluble problems in my life (and the weather has been completely bonkers this year anyway) :-)
to3m 10y ago
Yes... and so when it's going to be in the "teens" in centigrade, they tell you how many damn degrees they think it's going to be, rather than dicking you about by giving you a needlessly large range. I bet the weather forecasters in America never tell you the temperature is going to be "positive, and in 2 digits". Whatever next? Difficulty knowing how far away things are because miles are so large compared to km?
- mattkrause 10y ago
  They don't do that in the US. On the other hand, in Canada, they do say "temperatures will be in the teens this morning" all the time on the radio without elaborating further. But...since you brought it up, I also find it's much easier to get in the appropriate lane when the exits (etc) are indicated one mile in advance (~1 minute driving time) than 1 km (~30 seconds). 2km warning would be fine too, but since it's not a round number, they tend not to be signed that way....
narrowrail 10y ago
While I agree that it probably matters most whatever you were brought up with, Fahrenheit is a smaller unit of measure, and, as a result, more precise. Metric is more logical in every other case I can think of, but most people in the US can think in 'standard' measurements. It's really cultural, for the most part.
- Jedd 10y ago
  > While I agree that it probably matters most whatever you > were brought up with, Fahrenheit is a smaller unit of measure, > and, as a result, more precise. Personally I've never needed or cared to know the outside temperature finer than a Celsius degree. If you ever did have a need for something 'more precise', please remember: https://www.mathsisfun.com/definitions/decimal-point.html https://www.mathsisfun.com/definitions/decimal-point.html
- MereInterest 10y ago
  Fahrenheit does have smaller units, but nobody uses them. When was the last time you heard somebody distinguish between 72 and 73 degrees Fahrenheit? People use "low 70s", "mid 70s", "high 70s". With that in mind, I would say that the size of a single degree in Fahrenheit is too small of a unit.
- kalleboo 10y ago
  > Fahrenheit is a smaller unit of measure, and, as a result, more precise This one always comes up and it's the worst argument to me. Just going from the shade, or out from cover of wind and you'll get more than a degrees temperature difference. What use is that extra precision in daily use? And in any field that actually needs the extra precision (science, engineering), you're not going to shy away from using decimals.

lucb1e 10y ago

Might have something to do with your moving from one to the other. Living in the Netherlands I know perfectly well what to wear when it's 11 or 18 degrees. To me it sounds like you're saying dollars are hard to use since you were used to yen. With dollars everything is 100 times closer together.

TillE 10y ago

> if it's going to be in the "teens" in Celcius So don't think like that. Consider five degree increments instead. After a little bit of experience it's quite simple.

mattkrause 10y ago
Obviously, this is not one of the insoluble problems in my life (and the weather has been completely bonkers this year anyway) :-)

to3m 10y ago

Yes... and so when it's going to be in the "teens" in centigrade, they tell you how many damn degrees they think it's going to be, rather than dicking you about by giving you a needlessly large range. I bet the weather forecasters in America never tell you the temperature is going to be "positive, and in 2 digits". Whatever next? Difficulty knowing how far away things are because miles are so large compared to km?

mattkrause 10y ago
They don't do that in the US. On the other hand, in Canada, they do say "temperatures will be in the teens this morning" all the time on the radio without elaborating further. But...since you brought it up, I also find it's much easier to get in the appropriate lane when the exits (etc) are indicated one mile in advance (~1 minute driving time) than 1 km (~30 seconds). 2km warning would be fine too, but since it's not a round number, they tend not to be signed that way....

narrowrail 10y ago

While I agree that it probably matters most whatever you were brought up with, Fahrenheit is a smaller unit of measure, and, as a result, more precise. Metric is more logical in every other case I can think of, but most people in the US can think in 'standard' measurements. It's really cultural, for the most part.

Jedd 10y ago
> While I agree that it probably matters most whatever you > were brought up with, Fahrenheit is a smaller unit of measure, > and, as a result, more precise. Personally I've never needed or cared to know the outside temperature finer than a Celsius degree. If you ever did have a need for something 'more precise', please remember: https://www.mathsisfun.com/definitions/decimal-point.html https://www.mathsisfun.com/definitions/decimal-point.html
MereInterest 10y ago
Fahrenheit does have smaller units, but nobody uses them. When was the last time you heard somebody distinguish between 72 and 73 degrees Fahrenheit? People use "low 70s", "mid 70s", "high 70s". With that in mind, I would say that the size of a single degree in Fahrenheit is too small of a unit.
kalleboo 10y ago
> Fahrenheit is a smaller unit of measure, and, as a result, more precise This one always comes up and it's the worst argument to me. Just going from the shade, or out from cover of wind and you'll get more than a degrees temperature difference. What use is that extra precision in daily use? And in any field that actually needs the extra precision (science, engineering), you're not going to shy away from using decimals.