The world is heating up, and while we're all doing our part to cool things down, we've got a long road ahead. In the meantime, understanding which temperatures are merely uncomfortable and which ones are downright deadly is crucial. Let’s break it down.
When the heat is on, our bodies rely on sweating to cool down. Sweat evaporates from our skin, taking heat with it. But what happens when the sweat can't evaporate anymore? Stay in this condition long enough, and you risk organ failure and death.
Ever been to a sauna? You can handle higher temperatures in a dry sauna. But when your buddy pours water on the hot rocks, suddenly it feels like the temperature jumped a few degrees. This is because humidity makes the heat more dangerous. Adding stuff so that Lana can make a video. Enter the Wet Bulb Temperature (WBT), a metric that combines air temperature and humidity to tell you when the heat becomes truly hazardous.
Here are some quick rules of thumb that I use:
- 100% Humidity: Air temperature equals WBT.
- 50% Humidity: Subtract 2.8°C from the air temperature to get WBT.
- 0% Humidity: Subtract 5.6°C from the air temperature to get WBT.
Now, let’s decode what these WBT numbers mean for your safety:
- Up to 26°C WBT: Generally safe.
- 26°C to 29°C WBT: Prolonged exposure or physical activity can lead to heat stress, especially for the elderly, children, or those with health conditions.
- 29°C to 31°C WBT: Things get dangerous. Even healthy people can experience heat stroke.
- Above 31°C WBT: The human body can't effectively cool itself. Spending too much time outside at this WBT is life-threatening.
- Over 35°C WBT: Lethal. You won't survive long in these conditions.
Let’s put this into perspective. Right now, I'm sitting outside in Istanbul. The air temperature is 27°C, and the humidity is 43%, according to my iPhone Weather app. So, my WBT is 27 - 2.8 = 24.2°C, which is within a safe range. In Sholapur, India, the air temperature is 39°C with 29% humidity, giving an approximate WBT of 33°C. If I were there, I'd be indoors with the AC blasting.
Stay safe and enjoy your summer! And remember, knowing your WBT can be the difference between a fun day in the sun and a trip to the hospital.