Heat Index

If the heat index says it’s 120 – is that in the shade?

If you’re wondering who came up with this heat index stuff – that would be Robert G. Steadman, and academic textile researcher. He wrote a paper in 1979 called “An Assessment of Sultriness.” It laid out the factors that affect how hot a person feels under a set of given conditions.

In order to experience the actual heat index sensation, you’ll need to be 5’7” and weigh 147 pounds. Don’t forget to wear long pants and a short-sleeved shirt. Now start walking at just over 3 miles per hour into a slight breeze, in the shade. If you’re in the sun – go ahead and tack 15 degrees more to the calculated heat index.