Problems in the assessment of the bioclimate for vacationists at the seaside

In order to assess the value of common climatic information given to vacationists, measurements of thermophysiologically relevant climatic parameters were carried out on a beach in Italy and compared to those of a nearby official meteorological station. As an integral bioclimatic index the Physiological Equivalent Temperature, PET, was calculated. The results indicate that both the diurnal courses and the absolute values differ essentially at the different locations on the beach and at a nearby met. station. On the beach the thermal stress during the hottest time of the day is significantly lower than at a location a few kilometres inland.