Working out in the heat can be merely unpleasant, or it can be dangerous, depending on the day—and there's a good way to tell what kind of day it is. This summer, I've checked the wet bulb temperature before nearly every run I've been on. This number is more important to me than the actual temperature, or even the "feels like" temperature, because it helps me gauge the safety of exercising outdoors. I'll delay or call off a workout if the wet bulb temp is too high.
To help you stay safe while exercising during the hottest part of the year, allow me to explain what wet bulb temperature means, and what numbers to watch out for when gauging whether you should attempt that outdoor workout.
I'll explain below how to use the wet bulb globe temperature to tell when the combination of heat and humidity makes conditions dangerous to work out. But to give a few examples, if you’re trying to avoid wet bulb temperatures above 82 (a common recommendation), these scenarios would all be “too hot” for a long or intense run:
90 degrees would be too hot at 30% humidity
If you’re used to the heat, you can stand to work out at higher temperatures, as we’ll see. But let’s look first at what “wet bulb” temperature even means.
How to use the wet bulb globe temperature
This is important because one of our body’s main cooling mechanisms—sweating—can’t work well when the humidity is too high. Sweat cools us down by evaporating off our skin, but humidity interferes with evaporation. The WBGT measures how well evaporation can cool off a wet surface in addition to considering the temperature itself.
With Carrot, I can see the WBGT hourly throughout the day. Interestingly, it's often more humid during the cooler parts of the day, so the wet bulb temp doesn't always change much from morning to afternoon. I'll still opt for evening runs when I can, since the sun is often over the horizon and not beating down on me directly. But I can use the day's wet bulb temperature to decide if I need to shorten a run or maybe skip it entirely.
Two different ways to look at the wet bulb temperature in the Carrot Weather app. Credit: Beth Skwarecki/Carrot WeatherTo give an idea of what that might look like, a WBGT of 82 degrees can happen in 75-degree weather with 90% humidity, 84-degree weather with 50% humidity, or 100-degree weather with 10% humidity.
If the WBGT is above 65 degrees Fahrenheit, take extra rests and pay attention to your hydration.
If the WBGT is above 78, take extra rests, limit duration, and also tone down the intensity (for example, don’t try to run as fast.)
If the WBGT is above 86, pack it in and go home.
If you're already heat-adapted
If the WBGT is above 72, you can still exercise as normal, but pay extra attention to your hydration.
If the WBGT is above 86, limit intense exercise and limit your exposure to the hot weather. Watch out for signs of heat illness.
How wet bulb temps affect my real world workouts
Personally, I see anything between 62 and 72 as "sucks, but that's summer." Most of my outdoor runs happen in these conditions. When it's above 72, I start paying extra attention to my precautions. I'll avoid direct sunlight (choosing shady trails or an evening run), and I'll make sure to pack plenty of water. For me that means at carrying least half a liter (16 ounces) in my hydration belt for an hour-long run. If I drive to my running route, I also make sure I have plenty more water in my car in case I come back thirsty.
Importantly, I've noticed that how fast I'm running is a major factor. An easy run in 72-degree wet bulb temps is no problem. But if I have something harder planned, like a tempo run or a session with lots of hard intervals, I need to be prepared to cut it short if the heat is getting to me.
All of this advice goes alongside the usual precautions for staying safe in the heat. Bring extra fluids and electrolytes for your hydration breaks, and make sure to find places in the shade or air conditioning to cool off. (A kiddie pool with a bag of ice is one of the suggestions in the U.S. Soccer guidelines.)
It’s also important to know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heatstroke, and what to do if you observe them in yourself, or your teammate or workout buddy. Heatstroke is a 911-level emergency, so get help if needed.
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