I'm an amateur, of course, but PJ's emphasis on knowing what the should look like at kneading stage and after is the key. My house is air conditioned about 60% of the year and the effect is that in summer my air is dryer, not more humid. As a result the flour is dryer to start with (even the grocery store is air conditioned and even when you're weighing ingredients you have to account for the dryer flour) and may require more water (or less flour) to get the perfect stickiness. Experience helps and the pictures and videos from KA have been invaluable to me as I learn.

Takeaway one: If you live where airconditioning is the norm, your flour may need more water in summer, not less and two: pay attention to every hint you can get from the recipe about stickiness (or lack of) and whether to knead over flour, light oil or dry surface. Those videos of kneading technique for wet doughs are very instructive.

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