Tuesday, July 25, 2023

For human safety in heatwave: Use the heat index or wet bulb globe temperature

Today I learned

Air temperature alone doesn't tell you whether the heat is dangerous to you. You have to consider humidity, too. High humidity prevents your own sweat from helping you cool off, so humidity matters more as the temperature rises.

In a heatwave, for most purposes, you can probably use the common "heat index" or your local weather warnings, but if you're doing strenuous activity outside, consult the wet bulb globe temperature (WGBT).

See the article, with my subscriber gift link: "The world needs a new way to talk about heat," advice by Michael J. Coren, Climate Advice Columnist, Washington Post, July 25, 2023

"Last year [2023], tens of thousands of people around the globe died in climate-change-induced weather events – and that’s likely an under-estimate." — Katharine Hayhoe

See also: "This number can measure how dangerous a heat wave is for you: What is the wet bulb temperature? And why is it so important?," Umair Irfan, Vox, Jun 17, 2024

Related

Read more: "We know who's responsible for orange sky". It's a 2-minute read on Medium. If you hit the paywall, consider becoming a member.

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