Read the temperature scale
Check the unit shown in the legend: degrees Celsius and degrees Fahrenheit are different scales. The standard surface forecast describes air around two metres above the ground. If the provider offers higher atmospheric levels, return to the near-surface layer for ordinary day-to-day planning.
Compare the same hour between places. A daily maximum is not the temperature throughout the day, and the map time may follow your device rather than your destination.
Why your thermometer can differ
Sunlight, shade, buildings and nearby water affect your immediate surroundings. A forecast model represents an area, so it cannot reproduce every garden, sheltered street or mountain hollow. A thermometer in direct sun is also not measuring the same exposure as a standard shaded air-temperature observation.
On a clear cold night, surfaces can cool below the air above them. An air-temperature value just above zero therefore does not guarantee that every road or path is free of frost.
Use the daily pattern
Step through the morning, afternoon and evening instead of choosing clothing from a single frame. During cold weather, compare temperature with wind; during hot weather, also consider humidity, sun and shade. For long journeys, check the forecast at both ends and along the route. Use official heat, cold or ice warnings when issued.
Questions about this map
Is this the feels-like temperature?
Only if you choose a layer explicitly labelled that way. The ordinary temperature map shows air temperature; wind and other conditions change how it feels.
Does the map show road temperature?
No. Road surfaces have their own heating and cooling behaviour. Check road-condition services when ice or frost could affect a journey.