In Texas, the apparent temperature is close to the oven setting

Do you think temperatures are rising quickly? That's nothing compared to apparent temperature, or heat index, which increases three times faster than measured temperature, according to a study that offers a new way of looking at the heat index, focusing on Texas last summer. The heat index factors in relative humidity to show the true temperature. When relative humidity is low, sweat evaporates quickly, cooling the body. But when the relative humidity is high, sweat evaporates slowly, making the body feel warm. It is important for people to understand heat index values ​​so they know the risk of overheating. But according to study author David Rumps of the University of California, Berkeley, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Heat index values is inaccurate, and only conveys a “conservative estimate of thermal stress” per a launch.

Essentially, the heat index model breaks down “at humidity and temperatures that the index creator believes are rarely reached,” according to the statement. Previously, relative humidity usually decreased when the temperature rose Newsweek. But with climate change, “relative humidity remains constant as temperature rises, reducing the effectiveness of sweating to cool the body,” the statement notes. Rumps and his colleague Yi-Chuan Lu came up with a Adjusted temperature index Based on calculations of all combinations of temperature and humidity. Based on the revised index, the apparent temperature at Houston's Ellington Airport on July 23 of last year was 167 degrees Fahrenheit, and the climate change was 12 degrees.

“It sounds absolutely crazy… verging on something like an oven setting,” Rumps says in the statement. “Maintaining a standard core temperature is beyond the physiological capacity of a healthy young person.” “But we believe that if you keep your skin wet… you'll still be alive. Sure, you're not happy. But you're alive.” In extreme temperatures, shade and water are “your friends,” Rumps says. Park yourself in front of a fan, get your skin wet, drink fluids, and you'll be fine. But we're approaching a point where the heat index in Texas may rise enough to make conditions too hot for everyone, warns Rumps, whose study was published in 2018. Environmental Research Letters. He adds, “The clear thing we have to do is stop further global warming, because this will not improve unless we stop burning fossil fuels.” (More heat stories.)