SPOKANE, Wash. — Girls’ soccer games scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons at ONE Spokane Stadium have been canceled due to high field temperatures.
The Coeur d’Alene Vikings were set to face the Ferris Saxons on Tuesday, while the Rogers Pirates were scheduled to play the Kettle Falls Bulldogs on Wednesday.
Using an infrared laser thermometer, 4 News Now measured the surface temperature of the turf at ONE Spokane Stadium. The highest recorded reading was 137.2 degrees Fahrenheit, with an average temperature of 130.8 degrees.
According to the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association, when the Heat Index meets or exceeds 70°F it is recommended that all schools provide at any practice or event, a method for rapidly cooling athletes experiencing heat illness. Approved methods include ice water immersion or tarp assisted cooling with oscillation (TACO).
What is a Heat Index?
A heat index is an index that combines air temperature and relative humidity in an attempt to determine the human-perceived equivalent temperature; “how hot it feels.” The result is also known as the “felt air temperature” or “apparent temperature.”
The human body normally cools itself by perspiration, or sweating. Heat is removed from the body by evaporation of that sweat. However, relative humidity reduces the evaporation rate because the higher vapor content of the surrounding air does not allow the maximum amount of evaporation from the body to occur.
According to WIAA, schools shall monitor the heat index for their geographic area prior to practices.
To read more about the WIAA Heat Index click here.
Click here to see the Ferris High School event calendar.
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