(WKBW-TV) BUFFALO, NY — We’ve had some hot weather as of late, and often we talk about the heat index. But just exactly what does that mean?
We’re in the heart of the summer season here in Western New York, which means time at the spray park with the kids, time at the beach, and by the pool, to beat the heat. But it’s more than the temperature that we need to pay attention to when we’re checking the forecast. We need to also pay attention to the heat index.
The heat index is a measure of how hot it feels when humidity is factored in with the actual air temperature. Higher temperatures combined with higher humidity can make the temperature feel much hotter than it actually is because it impairs the body’s ability to cool itself through sweating and evaporation.
Prolonged exposure to a heat index of 90 to 100 degrees, which is commonplace in Western New York on a hot day, can be dangerous. It can mean heat stroke or heat exhaustion.
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