Temperature - Humidity Related Issues

Here in Florida, Summer Temperature and Humidity are both high, but they swing on different cycles.
The Humidity rises to it's highest point around 7am.
This is easily apparent as everything is drenched with dew in the morning.
The wet grass makes it difficult to cut untill it dries out around 10am.

When the sun rises, the air warms from the suns radiation and the heat causes the humidity to fall.
The technical reason is "If the water vapor content stays the same and the temperature drops, the relative humidity increases. If the water vapor content stays the same and the temperature rises, the relative humidity decreases. This is because colder air doesn't require as much moisture to become saturated as warmer air. Relative humidity is a measure of the water vapour content of the air at a given temperature. The amount of moisture in the air is compared with the maximum amount that the air could contain at the same temperature and expressed as a percentage."

Temperature-Humidity Index (THI) is a measure of the reaction of the human body to a combination of heat and humidity, the temperature-humidity index was invented by Earl C. Thom, a researcher in the Office of Climatology, U.S. Weather Bureau.

When the THI is 70 or below, most inactive people are comfortable.
At THI = 75, about half are uncomfortable.
When THI = 79, nearly everyone is sweating and uncomfortable.

As THI rises into the 80s, acute discomfort is common, work efficiency drops, and physical activity should be curtailed. THI values as high as 90 can lead to medical issues.
It does not take more than a few degrees in temperature rise to put you in danger.
If the temperature on the sample graph below rose to 98F, the THI would be 123.
This THI level places you in danger of heat stroke.

Do your summer yard work during periods when it is safe to do so.
Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of liquid.
If you feel light headed, get back inside and drink a tall glass of cold water.

Another sign of body stress caused by high THI is leg cramps while sleeping.
If you wake at night with leg pain, drink 16 ounces of water immediately and massage the crampy area. High THI levels are especially important for retired men.
As we age our Prostate shrinks causing our bladder to hold less. This makes us pee more often.
That causes us to not drink as much due to the inconvenience of finding a place to relieve the pressure.

This habit is REALLY BAD for those of us that work outside in the summer.
Sweat is our body's way of cooling itself. The sweat evaporates. That causes water-weight loss.
This can contribute to heat stroke.

You can test this theory yourself.
Get on an accurate weight scale just before going out. Write down your weight.
When you finish for the day, weigh yourself again. If you worked outside for four hours and did not drink, you are likely to have lost several pounds.

Any loss is a liquid deficiency. If you lost two pounds, then you need to drink 29 ounces of liquid to get back to your original weight. (Water is 8.7 pounds per gallon). If you lost ONE pound per hour, you are flirting with danger.
Exessive sweating can also cause skin problems. The surface may become irritated. This can lead to pain, rash and skin infection. You can help prevent this by keeping your skin dry as much as possible. Use medicated Baby Powder in the groin and armpits to reduce rashes. Take time-outs and change into dry clothes.
Stay hydrated for your own health. Take a pitcher of water out with you and drink 16 ounces every hour.

A graph of typical Central Florida Temperature and Humidity in July can look like this;

July 14, 2020 Copyright A1-main.com