Fayetteville, AR- As we make our way further into the Summer season, the dangerous heat will continue to be a problem across the coverage areas.
We can track the heat and its impacts through two unique temperature impact measurements, “heat index” and the “wet bulb globe temperature.”
Both measurements deal with heat, humidity, and their impacts; however, both have some major differences. And one has a more accurate way to inform those who work or participate in physical outdoor activities about potential life-threatening heat stress.
A tale of two measurements
The most recognizable measurement is the Heat Index. We hear it a lot during the summer months, and it’s mentioned for every heat advisory or extreme heat warning to show how dangerous the heat will be.
However, did you know it only accounts for how the temperature feels in the shade? Yep, that’s right, the heat index only accounts for the feels-like temperature in the shade! No direct sunlight is accounted for in its measurement.
That’s where the wet-bulb-globe temperature (WBGT) comes in, and it’s a unique and increasingly needed measurement.
The WBGT accounts for:
- Air Temperature
- Humidity
- Wind Speed
- Sun Angle
- Cloud Coverage
- Radiant Heat from the Surface
It’s designed to measure how much stress the human body will experience under certain conditions. Especially during physical activities.
The WBGT is becoming increasingly utilized nationwide and is now the standard for most athletic organizations, the U.S. Military, and OSHA.
The reason it’s important is the “heat impact”. Our bodies naturally cool themselves through sweat. Sweat cools the body through evaporation. As the sweat evaporates, it removes the heat with it.
When the air becomes so humid and so hot, the moisture outside prevents any efficient evaporating process from taking place, adding preventing your body from cooling itself properly.
When these conditions occur, it can become dangerous or life-threatening for those who work or engage in physical activities outdoors.
So when the WBGT is high, the conditions require those outside to take prolonged breaks and to be mindful of heat-related illnesses.
You can learn more about the Wet-Bulb Globe Temperature here: https://www.weather.gov/tsa/wbgt And here: https://www.weather.gov/news/211009-WBGT
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