monitoring of thermal sensation is necessary to then propose
measures to solve the health problems linked to the possible
climate variability. The objectives of this study were: to
relate climate variations to the thermal comfort and health
(symptoms) in urban population. And as the main objective to
analyze the microclimatic variables of Natal city/RN during
the period of 1961 to 2010, through the index of effective
temperature (ITE) proposed by Nieuwolt (1977), demonstrating
what the thermal sensation for the inhabitants of this
region during this period. Used in this study, monthly data
of temperature and relative humidity, obtained from the
National Institute of meteorology (INMET). According to the
calculated index, it was observed that in Natal/RN the
average temperature has increased along the time series from
1961 to 2010. Considering the ITE of the whole time series,
thermal comfort was mainly response physical track of "great
discomfort", the same band was observed in the last ten
years, already during the first 10 years the track was "no
discomfort (ideal)". This increase in the index can be
explained by several factors: growth of the city,
intensifying heat island phenomena and thermal inversion,
among others at the mesoscale level. Moreover, it can be
inferred that increases in temperature and thermal comfort
range were also due to climatic variability, so atmospheric
systems begin to act act more or less pronounced over the
city, causing the change in the local climate.
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