• Schools Must Obtain WBGT or Heat Index Readings: Schools must measure either WBGT or heat index at practice and competition sites to assess heat conditions. 
• WBGT is the Preferred Measurement: Wet bulb globe temperature is the preferred measurement, however, whichever measurement (WBGT or heat index) reaches the heat stress threshold first determines the heat category and subsequent guidelines.
• For instance, if the heat index surpasses its limit before the WBGT, the heat category is based on the heat index. Conversely, if the WBGT reaches its threshold first, it dictates the heat category.
• Emergency Action Plans: Schools must have emergency action plans, including access to cold-water immersion tubs for rapid cooling in case of exertional heat stress and heat-related emergencies.
• Unrestricted Hydration: Athletes must have constant access to water.

NMAA’s new heat stress guidelines utilize both Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) and Heat Index to assess outdoor conditions and protect student-athletes.

1. Heat Index: The Heat Index is a measurement that combines only two environmental factors (air temperature and humidity) to estimate what the temperature “feels like”. “Feels like” temperature tells you what the human body is feeling like the temperature outside is.
   Eg: On a day when the temperature is 85°F with high humidity, the Heat Index might suggest it feels more like 95°F, indicating a higher perceived temperature due to moisture in the air.
2. Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT): WBGT is a more holistic way to measure how the body is interacting with the outside environment. The WBGT considers multiple environmental factors (air temperature, humidity, sun angle, cloud cover, wind speed) to assess how the body interacts with the outside environment. It takes into account how effective the body is at producing sweat, which is the main catalyst to cool yourself down.
   Eg: On a partly cloudy day with a light breeze, even if the temperature is high, the WBGT might indicate a lower risk for heat stress due to the cooling effect of the wind and cloud cover.

Many athletic organizations, such as the NMAA, use both WBGT and Heat Index in their safety guidelines. In practice, if the WBGT is lower but the Heat Index is higher, safety protocols might still limit practice duration or require additional breaks, as was the case when the WBGT was around 80°F (green zone) but the Heat Index was 98-99°F, triggering stricter safety measures. 

For safety, especially in athletic settings, it’s crucial to consider both, often adhering to the stricter of the two measurements.

The NMAA mandates real-time, onsite temperature monitoring to provide accurate and immediate readings, especially in areas with changing weather conditions. Colin emphasizes that this on-the-spot monitoring is crucial, particularly in diverse regions of New Mexico, since local weather apps typically rely on data from the nearest airport weather station, which only updates once an hour.

Here are some of the key differences between handheld devices and stationary weather stations:

Handheld WBGT Devices: While handheld WBGT devices offer portability, they come with challenges such as calibration time, battery management, and potential data inaccuracies. 

• Portability: Handheld devices are small and often mounted on a tripod, making them portable and easy to set up in different locations.

• Calibration Time and Recalibration: These devices require time to acclimate when moved from indoors to outdoors, typically taking 20 to 30 minutes to provide valid readings.
• Lack of Radiation Shield: Many handheld devices lack a radiation shield, leading to erroneous data due to direct sunlight exposure, causing temperature spikes.
• Smaller Black Bulb: The smaller black bulb in handheld devices heats up and cools down faster, resulting in more erratic readings compared to standardized sensors.
• Lack of Data Logging Capability: Handheld devices often struggle with consistent data logging due to potential timeouts and connection issues, making it difficult to track historical data accurately.

Justin Segotta also notes that setting up handheld devices is challenging due to the need to manage battery life, recalibration, and potential timeouts, which often lead to disruptions in data collection.

Stationary Weather Stations: Stationary weather stations, on the other hand, provide reliable, continuous monitoring with better data accuracy and ease of use, making them a more effective solution for ensuring athlete safety during outdoor activities. 

• Continuous Monitoring: Stationary devices are installed permanently, providing continuous real-time monitoring without the need for acclimation or frequent calibration.
• Radiation Shield: These stations typically have a radiation shield, ensuring accurate temperature and humidity readings. 
• Standardized Black Bulb: Stationary weather stations also use a standardized black bulb as per ISO standards, leading to more stable and reliable data that corresponds accurately to how the body heats and cools.
• Reliability: Stationary weather stations eliminate the need to manually set up equipment daily and avoid issues like battery failure or device timeouts.
• Remote Access: Users can access real-time data remotely from multiple locations (e.g., different sports fields), allowing for better-informed decisions regarding practice schedules.
• Data Logging Capabilities: These stations provide uninterrupted logging of weather data, enabling users to review historical trends over days or weeks. This helps coaches plan practices based on patterns and make necessary adjustments for future sessions.

If you’re looking for consistent, reliable data without much maintenance, a stationary weather station is likely your best bet. It offers seamless monitoring and better accuracy, making it a solid choice for ensuring athlete safety.

You don’t need to monitor WBGT separately for each surface on your campus. While it might seem logical that different surfaces—such as grass, synthetic turf, and tracks—would have varying impacts on WBGT readings, research shows that the differences are minimal.

As Colin explains: “The surface itself might feel hotter when you touch it, but where you’re supposed to be measuring WBGT, at about head height, the air actually mixes up very well and so it has a very negligible impact.”

• Negligible Impact: Studies, including those by Dr. Greenstein at the University of Georgia (“The Godfather of heat stress monitoring”), found that surface type (grass, turf, composite courts) has minimal impact on WBGT readings at the standard measurement height.
• Slight Variations: While synthetic turf might show slightly higher temperatures but lower humidity, and grass might have lower temperatures but higher humidity, these differences tend to balance out.
• Single Measurement Sufficiency: You only need to take one WBGT reading within a certain radius (e.g., one to five square miles) on your campus, as the air above different surfaces mixes, reducing any significant discrepancies.

When WBGT readings fluctuate during a workout, the safest course of action is to stick with the initial risk zone established at the start of practice. This consistent and conservative approach helps protect athletes from the dangers of fluctuating heat stress, ensuring their well-being throughout the workout.

Here’s how you can handle these situations to ensure athlete safety:

1. Stick to the Initial Zone:
   • Scenario: Imagine you start a football practice in the orange zone (moderate risk), and midway through practice, the WBGT reading spikes into the red zone (high risk) due to sudden sunlight. Then, clouds return, bringing the reading back to orange.
   • District Policy: In this scenario, the best practice is to stick to the initial zone where the workout began. This conservative approach ensures that athletes are not exposed to additional heat stress.
2. Avoid Fluctuating In and Out of Zones:
   • Consistency: According to district practices, once you’ve established the risk zone at the beginning of practice, maintain that level. For example, if you start in orange and the reading briefly dips to yellow (low risk) due to temporary cloud cover, continue following the orange zone guidelines.
   • This approach prevents confusion and ensures that athletes aren’t exposed to fluctuating risks. As Justin mentioned, “We don’t want to revert back to a green zone because now it’s cooled off, only to have it jump back to orange 10 minutes later. It’s about keeping kids safe and using our best judgment.”
3. Responding to Higher Risk Zones:
   • If WBGT readings rise into a higher risk zone (e.g., from orange to red), it’s crucial to adjust your practice immediately. This may mean shortening the practice or increasing rest breaks.
   • Example: If your practice moves into the red zone with only 15 minutes left, you might allow the practice to finish, but avoid extending it. “We’re probably going to let you finish,” a coach noted, “but we’re not going to let you go for another hour in that zone after they’ve already been in orange.”
4. Prioritize Safety and Consistency:
   • Conservative Approach: The underlying theme is to prioritize safety by adopting the most conservative approach. As one speaker put it, “Just take the most conservative approach and be consistent. If you start fluctuating, you leave room for interpretation and potential arguments, which can compromise safety.”

Ideally, weather stations should be placed at eye level, about 2 to 3 meters (6.5 to 10 feet) above the surface. This height provides a good balance between accurate temperature, humidity, and wind speed readings. However, that may not be feasible in many cases. 

At Perry Weather, we’ve placed the weather stations on top of field houses, press boxes on a light pole of a stadium, and many more variations. The only difference we’ve seen in the measurements is the wind speed, as the wind speed increases with height.

However, Perry Weather automatically corrects the wind speed for WBGT calculations, adjusting readings from higher placements down to a standard 2-meter level using a common meteorological equation.

Colin also notes that the Texas A&M Atmospheric Sciences department is conducting a study comparing handheld devices, Perry Weather stations, and other control devices. Their findings have shown that the readings from Perry Weather stations placed at a building height are nearly identical to those at field level once the wind speed correction is applied.

The latest NMAA heat stress guidelines recommend using both wet bulb globe temperature and the heat index in conjunction with each other to ensure the safety of athletes during outdoor activities. By monitoring both WBGT and Heat Index, you can adhere to the stricter guideline of the two. For example, if the Heat Index reaches a critical level before WBGT, you should follow the protocols based on the Heat Index, and vice versa.

Learn more about the differences between the heat index and wet bulb globe temperature here.

If you go into the red zone, you will have to max out at an hour of practice. So if you have already been outside for that hour, you will have to get off the field until the reading clears. If WBGT enters the black zone, immediately stop practice and get everyone off the field.

Wait for 30 minutes to see if conditions improve. 

If the WBGT drops back to a safer level and stabilizes, you can consider resuming practice. If conditions do not improve, consider canceling the practice altogether. The focus should always be on athlete safety and following the most conservative approach.

Perry Weather stations are designed for ease of use and minimal maintenance. Here’s what you need to know about maintenance on our weather stations:

• Installation in less than an hour: Installation is quick, typically taking less than an hour, and once set up with a power source (either direct or solar), the stations operate autonomously. One of the main advantages of our system is that it’s a one-time installation—no need to lug equipment around. 
• No Calibration Needed: They require no ongoing maintenance or calibration, allowing them to transmit data seamlessly to the Perry Weather web and mobile platforms 24/7.
• User-Friendly Alerts: Customizable zone settings allow for instant notifications to coaching staff, streamlining communication and response times to changing weather conditions. Once you set up your zones (green, yellow, orange, red, black) in our software, your entire coaching staff can receive instant alerts. 

Additionally, we provide the hardware at no cost; you only pay an annual subscription for the service. If the hardware is damaged, whether by lightning or wear over time, Perry Weather will replace it at no charge. This ensures you always have accurate readings without the hassle of manual equipment management or unpredictable data.

Several studies have compared temperature readings on grass and artificial turf fields. Surprisingly, the results show little difference in Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) and Heat Index values. While grass fields tend to be slightly cooler and more humid than artificial turf, these factors balance out in the final calculations.

Perry Weather is currently serving over a dozen high schools across New Mexico.

Schools like Aztec High School, where Justin is the Head Athletic Trainer, and Artesia High School, where Kobe is based, are among the users. With these new heat stress guidelines, more schools are looking to Perry Weather for accurate, real-time weather monitoring to ensure the safety of their athletes. We currently serve over 1000+ schools and school districts across the United States.

If WBGT or heat index readings shift to a higher risk zone during a competition, the same stringent safety protocols that apply during practice must be enforced. Clear communication and proactive planning are essential to ensure athlete safety, and officials should be involved in these discussions before the game begins. 

By preparing in advance and keeping all parties informed, you can make the best decisions for athlete safety, even in the heat of competition:

1. Similar to Practice: When the WBGT or heat index rises to a higher risk zone (e.g., from red to black) during a competition, the rules apply similarly to those during practice. This means that safety protocols must be enforced immediately to protect athletes.

• Example: As Justin explained, if the temperature hits 104°F or WBGT reaches 92, outdoor competition must stop. This requires clear communication with officials to ensure the game is paused or canceled until conditions improve.

1. Role of Officials:
   • Adjustments During the Game: Typically, officials will make adjustments, such as providing additional water breaks or moving athletes under canopies to manage heat stress during a game.
2. Planning and Communication:
   • Pre-Game Discussions: It’s essential to have a plan in place with the athletic director or site administrator before the competition starts. This includes discussing what actions will be taken if the WBGT or heat index rises into a higher zone during the game.
3. Regional Considerations:
   • Time of Day: In most parts of the state, competitions are held in the evening, reducing the likelihood of extreme heat. However, in areas like Albuquerque, where some games occur in the afternoon, these guidelines are even more critical due to higher daytime temperatures.

When discrepancies in readings occur, such as with lightning or temperature, the host school’s data and decisions take precedence. It’s important for the host school to communicate effectively with visiting teams and officials to ensure everyone is on the same page and understands the reasoning behind any safety-related decisions.

• The host school is responsible for monitoring temperature during the game.
• The athletic trainer, site admin, and officials work together to ensure safety.
• The host school’s decisions take precedence in case of discrepancies.
• Effective communication with visiting teams and officials is essential.
• Clear communication helps maintain a safe environment and manage disagreements.

Open communication is key to managing these situations smoothly. By keeping everyone informed, the host school can ensure a safe environment for all participants, even if there are initial disagreements.

According to Justin, using a stationary weather station offers significant advantages over handheld WBGT devices on a day-to-day basis, making operations easier and more efficient. He notes, “The biggest thing is now coaches get those notifications. It’s just another thing you’re not having to worry about all the time. Most of it’s taken off your plate and handled for you.” 

He also loves using the widget feature a lot. “Those widgets can be super powerful. I know we’ve got a couple customers of ours that even throw the lightning countdown timer up on the scoreboard so all the fans and everyone can see it or QR codes and stuff like that.” 

1. Ease of Use: Stationary weather stations require minimal setup and are largely hands-off, providing continuous monitoring, unlike handheld devices that need regular calibration and manual operation.
2. Automated Alerts: Stationary stations send real-time notifications directly to coaches and staff, ensuring everyone stays informed, while handheld devices lack automated alert capabilities.
3. Widespread Communication: Data from stationary stations can be displayed on screens in key locations, such as athletic training rooms, enhancing accessibility and communication.
4. Campus Coverage: Stationary stations are ideal for large or spread-out campuses, allowing centralized monitoring without the need to move equipment.
5. Safety Management: By automating monitoring and communication, stationary weather stations reduce the workload on staff and improve overall safety management.
6. Consistent Monitoring: With features like real-time alerts and easy accessibility, stationary stations help ensure that weather conditions are consistently monitored, keeping athletes safer.