Drums Across the Desert - July 3, 2023

[KVG_DC]

My weather geekery itch has been scratched.

[Vidal28Rdg]

6 minutes ago, KVG_DC said:

Yeah that's always been my armchair interest take on it as well.  But we were getting a fascinating clinic on WBT measures for measuring human habitability from the meteorologists last year that piqued my interest.  There was something about it being more accurate than the heat indexing as a means of putting humidity into the equation.  As it had a way of considering the angle and intensity of the sun.   

It made intuitive sense to me as when I travel to Africa I'm closer to the equator and the angle of the sun is different.  I can burn stupid easy there in temp/humidity conditions I don't typically burn in back here in the US.  

My question would be mainly, how much are the sun’s effects on higher latitudes amplified during the summer compared to the year-round similar exposure and angle of sun that the equatorial regions get? One should definitely be careful in too much sun exposure anywhere. 100, 105, 110+ combined with high humidity, etc. is no joke anywhere and will make the body react similarly anywhere those conditions are at, imo. But of course, I don’t know all of the details regarding the matter👀

[Vidal28Rdg]

9 minutes ago, KVG_DC said:

Ooh!

https://digital.mdl.nws.noaa.gov/

 

has a drop down for WBGT estimates.

its telling me 86 for Mesa.

And NWS has Kansas's State guidelines for football and outdoor practice 



Looks they. could do it but...its high.  Hopefully less by 8:30 as the sun will be setting. 

The risk here is less the show itself I suspect and more the practice conditions during the day followed by the demand of the show.

This is useful! My neck of the woods in DFW is right around 83-85, not much below their current conditions!

Edited July 3, 2023 by Vidal28Rdg

[KVG_DC]

Just now, Vidal28Rdg said:

This is useful!

Yeah!  I didn't find anything like this map last year when we got into this wrinkle of how WBGT is temp+humidity+sun = impact on the body.   I remember the meteorologists saying marathons and OSHA uses it for safety determinations but it's a public communication nightmare because the numbers are 'lower' than the dry bulb temp or heat index, so people think "oh 90 that's not bad" when a WBGT of 90 is STOP YOUR OUTDOOR ACTIVITY YOU FOOLS THE EARTH IS ACTIVELY TRYING TO KILL YOU RIGHT NOW!

[Vidal28Rdg]

5 minutes ago, KVG_DC said:

Yeah!  I didn't find anything like this map last year when we got into this wrinkle of how WBGT is temp+humidity+sun = impact on the body.   I remember the meteorologists saying marathons and OSHA uses it for safety determinations but it's a public communication nightmare because the numbers are 'lower' than the dry bulb temp or heat index, so people think "oh 90 that's not bad" when a WBGT of 90 is STOP YOUR OUTDOOR ACTIVITY YOU FOOLS THE EARTH IS ACTIVELY TRYING TO KILL YOU RIGHT NOW!

Very duly noted!! I’d love to look back at the readings from last year’s horrendous summer shows in the Great Plains all the way down to Texas experienced last year, I know those were very much in the “high” or “extreme” categories

[KVG_DC]

2 minutes ago, Vidal28Rdg said:

Very duly noted!! I’d love to look back at the readings from last year’s horrendous summer shows in the Great Plains all the way down to Texas experienced last year, I know those were very much in the “high” or “extreme” categories

Yeah. I'll be keeping an eye on that map this season...heh.

But again, it's more about the conditions during the day as corps rehearse.  I suppose if they do early AM rehearsals then move indoors for music sectionals in the worst times they could keep to those guidelines.  The notion of "one hour of activity interspersed with 20 minutes of breaks" as a maximum in that red zone is a nice safety guideline though probably something logistically hard to pull off on the field.  

Although learning to be super efficient in rehearsal is the name of the game these days as the Blue Devils have shown over and over.  

[skevinp]

FWIW this is not unusually hot weather for the Phoenix area this time of year.  🔥

[KVG_DC]

Yeah, I was sort of thinking "this seems about normal for phoenix these days"

Not that it makes it healthy for outdoor activity, particularly for folks traveling in who may not be acclimated fully.  Although I suspect that's a lot of what Spring Training is anymore?   You're learning the show but you're also acclimating your body to being out doors and active as much as you can?  

[Vidal28Rdg]

19 minutes ago, KVG_DC said:

Yeah, I was sort of thinking "this seems about normal for phoenix these days"

Not that it makes it healthy for outdoor activity, particularly for folks traveling in who may not be acclimated fully.  Although I suspect that's a lot of what Spring Training is anymore?   You're learning the show but you're also acclimating your body to being out doors and active as much as you can?  

another reason to use the wbgt measurement you cited. On their weather.gov page, a little slide presentation on their site titled “who can benefit from the use of WBGT?” 4 groups were mentioned: Outdoor workers, People doing strenuous outdoor activities, Active People, Athletes and Marching Band👀😂

[Precious Roy]

4 hours ago, KVG_DC said:

@Precious Roy Aren't you one of our resident meteorologists?  

Yes. (I haven't been paying attention to this thread).