The Heat Index “Feels Like” Temperature Is All About Your Sweat

My Grandma would call the air "close". My Dad would call it "thick". Some folks step outside and say it's "juicy".

You know what I'm talking about.

Those summer days when you walk outdoors and the air feels heavier, the hot feels hotter. Whew, it sure is humid!

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The weather folks might say something like "the temperature is 97 but it feels like 104". The phrase you've undoubtedly heard is "heat index". What exactly is the "heat index"? Some people have described it as kind of the opposite of "wind chill".

No, that's not it.

Actually, according to weather.gov, (the National Weather Service people), it has a lot to do with your sweat. That's right, it's relatable to your perspiration. Your body's air conditioning, so to speak.

They say when the Atmospheric Moisture Content is high (you know, when the air is thick), the rate at which you sweat decreases. In other words, your in-body air conditioning slows down some. So...

...you feel warmer. Oh, and by the way, the opposite is true, too. Less humidity, a lower dew point, and your body cools easier.

Either way, be sure and stay hydrated. And that "heat index" thing will be replaced one day before long with "wind chill".