The weather folks place warnings when the heat index becomes high enough to be dangerous. When the temperature, and humidity, calculate a heat index above 103 Fahrenheit, they post an advisory of a dangerous heat index. When it exceeds 124 degrees, it's considered deadly. Today, the heat index at 11:00 am is 114 degrees, yet we don't have an advisory. I don't know where the weather folks are stationed, but it isn't anywhere near where I live.
The worst heat index I was ever exposed to was working on a roof replacement in Galveston. I knew it was brutally hot, we only worked in shifts of around 15 minutes, but we were down to 4 sheets, and needed to finish the project. Rain was forecast, and the old sheets were already removed. I didn't know at the time, but after checking on the temperature related to the humidity, the index was well above 130 degrees. My brother didn't believe me when I told him. Of course, he wasn't there, and probably thought I was exaggerating.
That afternoon, while going to a meeting with a steel detailer, the cold air-conditioning in my truck started the heat cramps. They started in my legs and continued until they were in my back muscles. Unable to continue further, I bailed from the freeway, found a dollar store, bought a jar of dill pickles, and gulped down half the juice in the parking lot. Within minutes, the cramps subsided and I could continue. Even though I had been taking heat supplements, and drinking lots of water with Gatorade, it didn't make a huge difference. We were working in an environment not suitable for heavy exercise, and paid the price.
Oh yes. HS football practice. Gallons of water and handfuls of salt tablets, and you STILL got cramps!
ReplyDeleteGah, hit enter too early. But the similar circumstance was flying in the Middle East- Ramp temps 130 degrees, inside of the airplane 140-150, and we had to go fly in that. LONG runs on takeoff were the norm, as density altitude went WAY up. And we would climb as soon as we could to get to realtively cool air while drinking as much water as we could.
ReplyDeleteI never had heat cramps until I was older. I'd worked my entire adult life in construction, and had many days of pouring sweat from my boots. There's nothing like having your back muscles cramp, being unable to make the cramp stop, and hoping you can find something to make them go away.
DeleteOuch! I never got that bad.
DeleteI drink pickle juice relatively frequently. It helps with dehydration.
ReplyDeleteIt eases the cramps from heavy sweating.
DeleteThere is a reason a siesta is a thing.
ReplyDeleteWhen my schedule was flexible at work, we'd start at 6:00 am, and go home at 2:30 pm. It gave the crew 8 hours, exposed them to less heat, and gave them time to rest in the evening. If we couldn't, we'd take plenty of breaks, and I would place large fans in any shade we could create.
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