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HEAT and HUMIDITY INDEX CHART:
VERY WARM 80°-90°
HOT 91°-105°
VERY
HOT 106°-130°
EXTREMELY HOT 130°
DANGEROUS
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HUMIDITY
|
| |
15 |
20 |
25 |
30 |
35 |
40 |
45 |
50 |
60 |
70 |
80 |
90 |
|
TEMP
|
|
| 80° |
|
|
|
|
|
|
80 |
82 |
84 |
85 |
87 |
89 |
| 85° |
82 |
83 |
84 |
84 |
85 |
86 |
87 |
88 |
92 |
94 |
97 |
100 |
| 88° |
84 |
85 |
87 |
88 |
90 |
91 |
93 |
94 |
97 |
100 |
106 |
113 |
| 90° |
86 |
87 |
88
|
90
|
92 |
94 |
96 |
98 |
100 |
106 |
113 |
120 |
| 92° |
87 |
89 |
91 |
93 |
94 |
96 |
98 |
100 |
105 |
111 |
120 |
128 |
| 94° |
91 |
92 |
94 |
95 |
97 |
100 |
103 |
105 |
111 |
120 |
130 |
130+ |
| 96° |
93 |
95 |
97 |
98 |
101 |
104 |
107 |
109 |
118 |
128 |
130+ |
|
| 98° |
95 |
97 |
99 |
101 |
104 |
107 |
110 |
114 |
123 |
130+ |
|
|
| 100° |
96 |
98 |
101 |
104 |
107 |
110 |
115 |
120 |
130 |
130+ |
|
|
| 101° |
97 |
100 |
102 |
105 |
108 |
112 |
118 |
123 |
130+ |
|
|
|
| 102° |
98 |
101 |
104 |
107 |
110 |
116 |
121 |
127 |
130+ |
|
|
|
| 103° |
100 |
103 |
106 |
108 |
113 |
120 |
125 |
130 |
130+ |
|
|
|
| 104° |
101 |
104 |
107 |
110 |
117 |
123 |
128 |
130+ |
|
|
|
|
| 105° |
102 |
105 |
108 |
112 |
119 |
126 |
130 |
130+ |
|
|
|
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Heat and Humidity, a Deadly Combination
Texas seems to be entering a summer of
record high temperatures, when in combination with Austin's relatively
high humidity can be fatal to unprepared motorcyclists. When the ambient
air temperature in the shade is 100° F., it can be well over 120° two
feet above the black asphalt of a Texas highway. Compounding the heat
from the sun is a pair of cylinders and exhaust pipes radiating
temperatures in excess of 500° F just inches from the rider's legs. A
safety conscious motorcyclist will be wearing boots, jeans, a long
sleeve shirt, gloves and a helmet that restricts the body's ability to
cool down through evaporation of perspiration.
Dr. Richard A. Beauchamp, a medical consultant for the Bureau of
Epidemiology at the Texas Department of Health exclaimed, "High
temperatures are physically tolerated by most people for short periods
of time," but some form of heat—related illness may occur when
people are exposed to high temperatures and humidity that produce a heat
index of 95 degrees F or higher for 30 minutes or longer. At
temperatures above 90° F., a motorcycle rider traveling at 60 miles per
hour can lose three quarts of water every hour. If these fluids and
salts, lost through perspiration, are not rapidly and continuously
replaced then dehydration and electrolyte imbalances can occur.
Dehydration further impairs the body's ability to maintain the proper
core temperature which could lead to heat stress, heat exhaustion, heat
stroke and even death.
To prevent dehydration and hyperthermia, a motorcyclist should stop
every thirty minutes to consume at least a quart of water plus prepare
another quart to consume while riding between breaks. Water, milk, fruit
juices, as well as many of the commercially available "sport"
drinks are excellent fluid replenishes, but do not drink anything
containing alcohol or caffeine as they will actually dehydrate your
body. You can also reduce dehydration by wearing light colored, loose
fitting clothes and drenching these clothes with cool water at each
thirty-minute break. This artificial perspiration can make the body feel
20 degrees cooler and reduce the loss of body fluids. At 60 miles per
hour on a 90° F day a soaked shirt and jeans will be bone dry within
twenty minutes. If you own a Kool Tie or similar product, it will keep
your neck and shoulders cooler and prevent sunburn on this otherwise
exposed skin. If you do not own a Kool Tie, a light colored neckerchief
or bandanna soaked in ice water can serve the same purpose.
If you experience nausea, dizziness, headache, fatigue, rapid pulse,
shortness of breath, disorientation, cold and clammy skin or hot and dry
skin, you should take immediate steps to rapidly cool down the body. The
best and fastest method is to get into a tub of cool water and add ice
as fast as you can stand it until you core temperature has returned to
normal. If a tub is not available, a cool stream or lake will help and
if that is not available simply soak your clothes with ice water from
your cooler.
Refer to the official National Weather Service heat index table. To
calculate heat stress, find the index number in the column under current
humidity ( shown on the top line) that is directly to the right of your
thermometer reading (shown in the left column)
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