Some U.S. states are facing a multi-week heat wave that wont cool off anytime soon.
Humidity can make heat waves even more dangerous.
However, this process is much slower in humid environments.
Verywell / Zoe Hansen.
Our bodies need to be around 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit to function optimally.
When Does Humidity Become Dangerous to Human Health?
As the water evaporates, it cools the bulb, just like the body cools itself by sweating.
One number is not going to tell you everything.
Vecellio added that people can face heat-related health risks well below any established wet-bulb temperature thresholds.
We already have lethal levels of heat, he said.
What Should You Look Out for When You Check the Weather?
It takes both relative humidity and air temperature into consideration.
What Should You Do in a Humid Heat Wave?
Where you live also matters.
But places that used to have mild summers can now experience unexpected high temperatures because of climate change.
A populations health response to heat is place-specific.
People living in Seattle dont experience heat the same way as people living in Atlanta, she said.
You should talk to your doctor and figure out your personalized heat safety plan, Surapaneni said.
What This Means For You
Heat-related illnesses are serious but preventable.
Consider talking to a healthcare professional about your risks during a heat wave.
verify to check on neighbors and loved ones who are at high-risk during any extreme heat event.
National Weather Service.Excessive heat.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About heat and your health.
National Weather Service.Wet bulb globe temperature: how and when to use it.
2022;132(2):340-345. doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00738.2021
National Weather Service.What is the heat index?
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Keep your cool in hot weather.
