If the wet bulb is not read at its lowest point, what effect will it have on relative humidity calculations?

When calculating relative humidity, the wet bulb temperature is crucial as it reflects the amount of moisture in the air. If the wet bulb is not read at its lowest point, it can lead to inaccurate readings. Specifically, reading the wet bulb temperature higher than its actual lowest value will result in an overestimation of the wet bulb temperature, which in turn will cause the calculated relative humidity to be too high.

Relative humidity is determined by comparing the current moisture in the air to the maximum moisture capacity at a given temperature. If the wet bulb is inaccurately high, it suggests that the air is wetter than it truly is, leading to an inflated relative humidity value. This is due to the fact that a higher wet bulb temperature typically corresponds to higher humidity, causing the calculation to reflect a misleading level of moisture content in the air.

In summary, failing to read the wet bulb at its lowest point will indeed lead to an overestimation in the calculation of relative humidity, making the calculated value appear higher than it actually is.