Why humid heat makes us feel worse

ROANOKE, Va. – Every summer, we emphasize heat safety especially when humidity is a factor. The reason why we do this really has to do with how we sweat. 

Our body's normal temperature is 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. When our body heats up beyond that point, we sweat to cool down. When the air is dry, our sweat evaporates. Evaporation is a cooling process. Our evaporating sweat is what helps to cool us down and regulate our body's temperature. 

When it's humid outside, our sweat has a hard time evaporating. Therefore, it's harder for our body to cool down. That's why when the heat index, or the combination of heat and humidity, gets higher our body reacts worse. 

Heat indices will reach the mid to upper 90s the next three days in Roanoke, Southside and Lynchburg. That means fatigue, cramps and possibly heat exhaustion can occur. That is, if you're not staying hydrated, seeking shade or air conditioning.

You can watch a full video explanation of this on my Facebook page.