degrees out

[jasonlulu_2000]

I read a sentence in a newspaper as " No one disputes the benefits of a daily swim. But when it's 22 degrees out, diving in takes questionable sanity."

What does "out" mean here? Does it mean "minus" ? I cannot find this meaning in a dictionary?

Thanks!

Jason

 

[tedmc]

I think "minus" is possible if the temperature is in Fahrenheit(AmE), which is still above freezing point, but does not make sense if it is in Centigrade(BrE).

 

[bubbha]

"No one disputes the benefits of a daily swim. But when it's 22 degrees out, diving in takes questionable sanity."

What does "out" mean here?

It means "outside". 外面的溫度 From the context, I am guessing this is an American source using the Fahrenheit temperature scale, as 22 degrees Celsius is pretty nice.

 

[emsr2d2]

The meaning of "out" was quite clear to me but, like Piscean, I thought "22 degrees? Wow! I can't wait for it be that warm here, maybe in late spring or early summer". I, too, read all temperatures in Celsius unless it's made clear that it's Fahrenheit. Without checking a temperature converter, I would have no idea what 22 degrees Fahrenheit is in Celsius.

 

[GoesStation]

We've been in negative Fahrenheit territory here in the last few days. The coldest I've seen at my low-lying house during this cold snap is -17 Fahrenheit, which is a bracing -27 Celsius.

 

[Roman55]

I understood the meaning of the article immediately, but the commentary on it is interesting. That's yet another example of how things have evolved in the UK since I left some 30 years ago. Although I use centigrade in my daily life, whenever I think in English about temperature (be it weather or body temperature etc) I automatically think in Fahrenheit.

I think "minus" is possible if the temperature is in Fahrenheit(AmE), which is still above freezing point, but does not make sense if it is in Centigrade(BrE).

What I don't understand is tedmc's comment. Am I misreading it? How can 22°F be above freezing?

 

[GoesStation]

Fahrenheit really is a more sensible system for talking about weather, especially for temperate climates. The range of zero to a hundred covers "extremely cold" to "extremely hot"; one degree is the minimum change that a typical person can detect; and nobody cares what temperature water boils at at sea level when they're wondering whether to wear a short-sleeved shirt.

 

[Barb_D]

I think "minus" is possible if the temperature is in Fahrenheit(AmE), which is still above freezing point, but does not make sense if it is in Centigrade(BrE).

No.
32 degree F is where water freezes.
At 22 degrees, there will likely be ice in the water. A small pond might be frozen over completely.
At minus 22 degrees, you will get frostbite on exposed skin if you stay outside in just the air. At minus 22, going into the water will result in death from hypothermia rather quickly.

 

[SoothingDave]

Fahrenheit also allows you talk conversationally about decades of temperatures. It was really cold, it was in the teens. Vacation was great, it was in the 80s all week.