Heat Index Calculator

The heat index is a measurement of how hot it feels to teh human body. The heat index is important because it take into account both air temperature and relative humidity in its calculations. Air temperature is the actual temperature of the air around the human body.

Relative humidity is amount of moisture in the air. If both of these variable are high, the heat index will register a higher temperature then the actual air temperature around the human. This is due to the fact that high humidity levels prevents the human body from being able to cool itself through the evaporation of sweat.

What is the heat index

To determine the heat index, a calculator is used that require the air temperature and relative humidity of the environment to be entered. The calculator automatically calculates the heat index using mathematical regression instead of requiring the person to perform the calculations themself. The heat index is calculated as if the human is in the shade.

Factors that may affect the human body more different than the heat index include exposure to the sun. Direct exposure to the sun can increase the heat index by as much as fifteen degrees. Exposure to a fan will make the human feel more cooler due to the ability of the body to cool itself through the evaporation of sweat.

The level of activity that a person perform may also affect the human body in relation to heat index measurements. If a person is performing strenuous activity, their body will produce more metabolic heat. These conditions increases the risk of heat stress.

However, heat index does not account for the length of time that a person is exposed to hot temperatures. Factors like age, hydration, clothing, and the level of acclimatization of the human to hot climates do impact how the human body respond to heat but these variables is not included in the equation for the heat index. The heat index uses bands of temperatures to determine the risk of heat for a given region.

If the temperature index is below eighty degrees, the heat level is considered comfortable. If the temperature index range between the low eighties and the high nineties, there is a caution band for humans. In this temperature range, humans should pay attention to their bodys response to heat.

Between ninety and one hundred three degrees, there is an extreme caution band for humans. During this temperature range, individuals should increase their efforts to cool the body. Between one hundred three and one hundred twenty four degrees, there is a danger band for humans.

If the heat index reaches one hundred twenty four degrees or more, there is an extreme danger band for humans. The accuracy of sensors that measure the heat index is another factor to consider when calculating the heat index. Errors in measurements of the air temperature and humidity will lead to error in the heat index.

If the sensor is placed in areas that are exposed to the sun, the sensor will register higher air temperatures then the actual air temperature in the environment. The heat index should be calculated in areas that represent the air that humans breathes. Another measurement of humidity is the dew point.

The dew point is a measurement of the amount of moisture in the air. If the dew point is high, the humidity is high. If the dew point is in the mid-sixties or higher, the humidity is considered high.

The dew point can be used to determine if the high heat index is due to humidity or temperature levels. Along with measuring the air temperature, relative humidity, and dew point in a location, it is also possible to understand the variables that contribute to the heat index in that area.