Forget #HeatIndex. #WetBulb Globe Temperature Is Where It’s At.

"One of the most common terms we hear during the summer when discussing the weather is Heat Index. While the Heat Index can give you an idea of how dangerous the heat can be, there is another lesser known variable that may give a complete description, known as the #WetBulbGlobeTemperature.

"The Heat Index is a measure of how hot it feels to the human body, taking into account the temperature and the relative humidity. The higher either one value is, the higher the heat index and the greater the stress exerted on the body. Heat Index utilizes the temperature measured in the shade and therefore will likely be greater in the sun, where many activities take place. For temperatures taken in the full sunlight, Heat Indices can increase as much as 15°F. Humidity plays a major effect on cooling the body. If the humidity is high, sweat on the surface of the skin does not evaporate as quickly, slowing the cooling of the body. If the humidity is low, sweat evaporates too fast, leading to dehydration. [See link for Heat Index chart]

"Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (#WBGT) is similar to the Heat Index in that it is an indicator of the stress on the body from the heat. While it is not as well-known as the Heat Index, it’s not a new term. WBGT was developed in the 1950s after heat related illnesses affected the US armed services during the 1940s. After its implementation, there was a reduction in heat related illnesses during basic training. One fundamental difference between the Heat Index and WBGT is that the latter is calculated with the temperature measured in the sun. While Heat Index only takes temperature and Relative Humidity into account, WBGT takes several variables into account.

These variables include:

- Temperature
- Humidity
- Wind Speed
- Sun Angle
- Cloud Cover
- Physical Activity"

Read more:
https://www.dtn.com/forget-heat-index-wet-bulb-globe-temperature-is-where-its-at/

#WetBulbTemperatures #GlobalWarming #HighHumidity #ExtremeHumidity #Heatwaves

#HeatIndex versus #WetBulb temperatures

The world needs a new way to talk about heat

by Michael J. Coren
July 25, 2023

"[The heat index] warning system is not perfect. First, it assumes you’re resting in the shade, not working in the sun. If you’re exerting yourself outdoors, the effective heat index could be 15 degrees higher. Secondly, the heat index was built on the idea of a young and healthy adult — a bad assumption for the elderly, very young and sick."

Read more:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/07/25/heat-index-wet-bulb-temperatures-dangerous/

Archived version:
https://archive.ph/rwMSE

#ExtremeHeat #ExtremeHumidity #WetBulbTemperatures #ClimateChange #GlobalWarming

Heat is making our planet uninhabitable. Why isn't this the top news story around the world?

Recent study finds that millions will be displaced as #ClimateChange makes their regions too hot to live

By Matthew Rozsa
Staff Writer
Published October 16, 2023

"In the 1973 sci-fi movie '#SoylentGreen,' the year 2022 is depicted as a world so ravaged by pollution that the temperature never drops below 90°F (32°C). Food is scarce; millions of people are homeless and crowd together in hallways just to sleep; the government has become overtly authoritarian. While things are not currently that bad (at least not yet), studies on climate change repeatedly indicate that the heat-based premise of 'Soylent Green' is rapidly becoming close to reality.

"Why is this not universally regarded as the biggest news story in the world?

"Consider a study published last week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), which studied #Wetbulb temperatures (meaning the temperature measured by a wet thermometer in the shade as water evaporates off it). If wet bulb temperatures exceed 31°C (88°F), people cannot consistently perform physical labor without endangering their lives; in temperatures that exceed 35°C (95°F), a healthy human can die within a few hours without access to water or shelter. The authors of the PNAS study analyzed 'wet-bulb temperature thresholds across a range of air temperatures and relative humidities' using bias-corrected climate change models. Their conclusions were sobering...

Full article:
https://www.salon.com/2023/10/16/heat-is-making-our-planet-uninhabitable-why-isnt-this-the-top-news-story-around-the-world/

#ClimateCrisis #ClimateCatastrophe #ExtremeHeat #WetBulbTemperatures

Land temperatures in #Spain surpass 60C as deadly heatwave sweeps Europe

#climatechange #heatwave #wetbulbtemperatures #extinction

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/spain-heatwave-europe-temperature-land-b2374245.html