It’s been a hot summer here in Central Chile, but I have had a growing suspicion that it has not been as hot as the numbers reported on my Android phone via Accuweather. So, yesterday, I kept a log of the afternoon temperatures to see how my readings compared with the forecast and with the reported temperatures on my phone.

I did this with a field thermometer that comes from my days as a technician, and I verified, using an ice bath, that the reading was accurate within 1/4 degree Celsius at 0.

I’m comparing this with the reported numbers for Providencia, but I would expect most of the city to be in a very tight range because yesterday was breezy. For what it’s worth, the Android/Accuweather app appears to offer weather reporting that is dialed in to my area. One can see slightly different numbers if you set if for Ñuñoa, for example.

We’re in a very typical area of Providencia.

My thermometer was sitting on a table on an outside porch, in the shade, with the door to the residence closed, thereby blocking any stream of cool air exiting the living area.

Here are my notes:

Forecast: 35C. I felt at 1pm that it won’t go over 32.
2pm – 27C
2:30pm – 28C
4pm – 30C (android says 33 at this time)
430 – 30.5
5pm – 31.5

At 5:30, the temperature began to decline. It never made it to even 32, but my phone was saying 36 around 5:30pm.

I can’t see any way to account for the wide difference between my readings and those of Accuweather.