The following Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) regulations are specifically for outdoor practices. All charted information below is based on regulations by the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) for 2024-2025, effective July 1, 2024.
California is divided into Class 1, 2, and 3 zones, with zones with higher temperatures acclimatizing faster compared to the cooler zones.
Here’s what the CIF has mandated:
For athletic trainers and directors prioritizing athlete safety, Perry Weather offers precise on-site wet bulb globe temperature monitoring.
Guide your coaches and staff in taking the right actions with hyper-local WBGT monitoring and alerts tailored to your heat stress policies.
Automatic instructive alerts and warnings are triggered based on your policies, keeping you compliant and confident in your decision-making so everyone on your staff knows what to do when WBGT levels are high.
Get heat and WBGT risk updates based on your policies, so you’re not caught by surprise and are able to adjust outdoor activities accordingly.
The WBGT is a comprehensive measure that combines air temperature, relative humidity, radiant heat, and air movement to assess heat stress conditions. Read more about WBGT here.
Wet bulb globe temperature in a nutshell is a more in-depth heat stress measurement taking into account more of the environment (Direct sunlight, water vapor capacity, cloud coverage, etc.). Read more about the differences between WBGT and the heat index here.
Monitoring WBGT is essential for protecting athletes’ health and safety during outdoor practices, games, and events.
A higher WBGT reading leads to a greater risk of heat-related illnesses like heat stroke, heat exhaustion, and muscle cramps.
Heat acclimatization is your body’s way of adapting to hot environments.
By gradually increasing your workload or exposure time in hot conditions over 1-2 weeks, you can significantly improve your heat tolerance.
This reduces the risk of heat stress and allows you to perform better in hot weather.
There are two main ways heat illness can strike:
1. Classic Heat Illness: This is caused by your environment’s impact on your body’s ability to cool down. Think high temperatures, humidity, direct sun, and no breeze.
2. Exertional Heat Illness (EHI): This one focuses on your own internal heat production. It can happen even in mild weather if you push yourself too hard.
Wet bulb globe temperature involves measuring three temperatures: dry bulb, wet bulb, and globe. Read more here.
Imagine heat stress as a warning light on your body’s dashboard. If heat stress isn’t addressed, it can progress to heat illness. This is a medical emergency where the body can no longer cool itself down effectively. It can be life-threatening if not treated promptly. Read more here.
To measure WBGT, use a scientifically approved WBGT meter. The best way to measure it is by using Perry Weather’s advanced weather monitoring platform.
Although the California Interscholastic Federation doesn’t have any set guidelines for lightning safety, here are recommendations from the National Federation of High School Activities (NFHSA) on what to do if a thunderstorm is imminent:
Perry Weather’s lightning detection and alerts system gives you clear, actionable instructions aligned with your lightning safety policies.
Know exactly when it’s safe to step out after a lightning strike with Perry Weather’s lightning countdown timers.
Get custom PA alerts and audible alarms with our lightning warning system.
A safe shelter is any frequently inhabited building with four solid walls (not a dugout), electrical and telephone wiring, and plumbing, which aid in grounding the structure.
Yes. Lightning victims do not carry a residual electrical charge. However, prioritize checking for injuries and call emergency services immediately.
Responsibilities may vary, but typically coaches, athletic trainers, and officials share the responsibility for monitoring weather conditions and enforcing safety procedures.
Some policies allow for designated “safe havens” under sturdy structures like bleachers (away from metal supports) or inside enclosed vehicles with the windows rolled up. However, this is a last resort.
Watch how schools across California are using Perry Weather to comply with state weather policies and keep their campuses safe.
Take Perry Weather for a test drive with a two-week free trial. Get started today!
