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August 2008
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Many have said, “It’s not the heat, it’s the humidity”. We’ll actually it’s both. Here in the Ohio Valley, we rarely get one without the other during the summer months and the combined effects can make you feel downright miserable. We’ve all heard the weatherman talk about the heat index during those typical summertime heat waves, but what does it mean exactly? The heat index is a way to measure how the combined effects of both heat and humidity make us feel. Like the wind chill factor used during the wintertime, the heat index gives us a way to measure the comfort level of our weather. The heat index is actually derived from a complicated mathematical equation using temperature and relative humidity as its basic variables. If you are interested in seeing the actual equation, see below. For the rest of us, the use of a simple heat index chart, readily available on the internet, will give you that feel-like temperature. Here are a few examples… A typical hot day in Kentuckiana may consist of a 90-degree temperature and 45% relative humidity, translating to a 94-degree heat index. That is enough to make you sweat, but if you really want to get your juices flowing, take that same 90-degree temperature and add 60% humidity to it… That translates to a heat index of 100 degrees! Only very rarely will the relative humidity exceed 60% during peak daytime heating. A heat advisory is issued anytime the heat index reaches 105 degrees or more. We’ve been able to avoid this type of heat so far this summer, but in order for this to occur you would need a 90-degree temperature with 70% humidity or a 95-degree temp with 50% humidity or a 100 degree temp with only 35% humidity. With temperatures forecasted to reach the mid and upper 90’s the next couple of days and relative humidity in the 40 to 50% range a heat advisory may be issued. Heat and humidity are not the only factors that control our level of comfort when outdoors. The presence of direct sunlight can add up to 15-degrees to the apparent temperature. Wind, evaporational cooling and, of course, the clothing you wear can also effect the way we feel when exposed to the elements.
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Heat and humidity are a concern in our family, as I'm sure in others, with elderly relatives who live alone, even with air conditioning. So, we always check on them. Hopefully, your explanation of the heat and humidity and the combined effect will make all aware of the common sense strategies to use during these months.