Application of Hourly Temperature-Heat Index as a Measure of Heat Stress

The concept of THI-hour (Temperature-Humidity Index) was used as a measure of extreme heat stress for five cities in Georgia. One Hundred heat-related mortality cases were analyzed for date of occurrence and city of occurrence. The city specific THI value was calculated for each hour on the day of the death. In all cases of mortality studied, the THI value exceeded a base value of 84 (extreme stress) for at least one hour during the day the person died. Future research, will determine if the deaths were due to a cumulative or an extreme value effect.