What are wet bulb temperatures? A heat expert explains.

Record ID: 1737020

  • Title: What are wet bulb temperatures? A heat expert explains.
  • Date: 9th August 2023
  • Summary: BALLIA, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA (FILE - JUNE 21, 2023) (REUTERS) (EDITORS NOTE: HOSPITALS FILLED WITH PATIENTS WHO HAD FALLEN ILL DUE TO SCORCHING HEAT) PEOPLE WALKING THROUGH HOSPITAL PREMISES TOWARDS ENTRANCE VARIOUS OF PATIENTS AND RELATIVES IN WARD PERIPHERAL VENOUS CATHETER ATTACHED TO A PATIENT'S HAND WOMAN FANNING HERSELF AND PATIENT PATIENT LYING ON BED
  • Embargoed: 23rd August 2023 15:29
  • Keywords: cliemate change wet bulbs
  • Location: VARIOUS
  • City: VARIOUS
  • Country: Various
  • Topics: Climate Adaptation and Solution,Climate Change,Environment,General News
  • Reuters ID: LVA002285607082023RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:part video quality as incoming
    Wet bulb temperatures, which take into humidity into account, are of increasing interest in a warming world.
    High wet bulb temperatures — once thought to be 35C(95F) wet bulb, but possibly as low as 30C(86F) wet bulb — can be dangerous because humans can struggle to cool their bodies in these conditions with prolonged exposure.
    Humans lose around 80% of heat through sweating.
    But when both humidity and air temperature are high, it becomes harder for humans to dump excess heat through sweating.
    If humans can’t cool down, they’ll eventually overheat — triggering respiratory and cardiovascular issues, and even death.
    Climate change is predicted to affect not just how bad wet bulb temperatures can get, but also how long they last.
    The upper range of wet bulb temperatures scales directly with global average temperature.
    At just 2C (3.6F) of global warming above preindustrial level, lethal wet bulb temperatures could be easily breached.
    The world is on track for 2.7C(4.9F) of global warming by 2100 under current government policies.
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  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2023. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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