Heat index warnings could save lives on dangerously hot days

You may have heard people say, “It’s not the heat, it’s the humidity.” There’s a lot of truth to this phrase, and it’s important to understand it as summer temperatures rise.

Humidity not only makes you feel sticky and uncomfortable; Even more dangerous on hot days. Too much heat and moisture together can make you sick. And in severe cases, your body may become paralyzed.

Meteorologists talk about the dangers of heat and humidity using: heat indexBut it can be confusing.

I am a risk communication researcher. Here’s what you need to know about the heat index and how meteorologists can better tell you about the dangers of heat waves.

What is Heat Index and how is it measured?

The heat index is a combination of the actual temperature and air temperature. relative humidity:

• Temperature refers to how hot or cold the air is, which varies depending on factors such as time of day, season, and local weather conditions. Thermometers are displayed in Celsius or Fahrenheit units.

• Relative humidity compares the amount of water vapor contained in the air with the amount of water vapor the air can hold at a given temperature. Expressed as a percentage.

The heat index tells you how it “feels” outside when considering humidity. For example, 98 degrees F (36.7 degrees C) and 55% relative humidity can feel like a searing 117 F (47.2 C).

But there’s a problem. The heat index is measured in shaded conditions so that the angle of the sun does not affect the calculation. That means it will feel hotter if it’s in direct sunlight.

Apparent Temperature, Warning and Wet Bulb

“Apparent temperature” is another term you may hear this summer.

Apparent temperature is the “feel” temperature. It takes into account not only temperature and humidity, but also wind speed. This means it can tell you both the heat index and wind speed cooling, or a combination of temperature and wind speed. When the weather is humid, it feels hotter, and when it is windy, it feels colder.

We find that apparent temperature is much less well understood than the heat index. Perhaps this is because the word apparent has many different interpretations.

There are a few different ways to hear meteorologists talk about heat.

wet bulb earth temperature Consider temperature, humidity, wind, and sunlight. Because it reflects direct sunlight, it is especially useful for people who spend time outdoors, such as office workers and athletes.

heat hazard A new tool developed by the National Weather Service that uses colors and numbers to indicate heat risk for different groups. However, more research is needed to determine whether this type of information helps people make decisions.

In many places, the National Weather Service also issues the following warnings: Overheating advisories, warnings and advisories.

The risk is getting lost in translation

Although it is important to know about heat and humidity, my colleagues and I found that the term heat index was not well understood.

We recently conducted 16 focus groups across the United States, including areas with dry heat, such as Phoenix, and areas with high humidity, such as Houston. Many people involved had no idea what a heat index was. Some have confused this with the actual temperature. Most also did not understand what the alert meant, how serious it was, and when to protect themselves.

In discussions with these groups, we found that meteorologists could communicate risk more clearly if they focused on describing what it felt like outside and why those conditions were dangerous, rather than using terms like heat index.

Alerts, warnings, and advisories can be improved by informing people of what temperatures to expect, what steps they can take to stay safe, and when.

Climate change is getting worse heat danger Extreme heat is more common, intense and long-lasting. This means we need clear communication to help people understand the risks and how they can protect themselves.

What You Can Do to Protect Yourself

Hot and humid environments require special precautions to protect your health. When it gets hot, you sweat. When sweat evaporates, it helps cool your body. but humidity prevent sweat From evaporation. If sweat cannot evaporate, the body has difficulty lowering or regulating body temperature.

Although high fever poses health risks to everyone, people over 65, pregnant women, infants and young children may have trouble cooling down or running. There is a higher risk of becoming dehydrated. Certain health conditions or medications may increase your risk of heat-related illness, so it’s important to talk to your doctor about your risks.

Heat-related illnesses, such as heat exhaustion and heatstroke, can be prevented by taking the right measures. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention The focus is on keeping you cool, hydrated and informed..

• Stay cool. Use air conditioning at home or spend time in air-conditioned spaces, such as shopping malls or public libraries. Limit or reschedule exercise and other outdoor plans to the middle of the day when it is hottest.

• Stay hydrated: Even if you’re not thirsty, drink more water than usual to help your body regulate its temperature through sweat. However, avoid sugary drinks, drinks containing caffeine or alcohol as these can cause dehydration.

• Stay informed: Signs and Symptoms of Heat Illness Dizziness, weakness, thirst, excessive sweating, and nausea may occur. Heat illness can be fatal, so know what to do and when to get help.

mickey olson He is a Senior Research Fellow in Emergency and Risk Communications at the University at Albany, State University of New York. This article is republished from: conversation Under Creative Commons License. read original article.