Overview
- The University Interscholastic League has made WBGT the required measure for member schools to decide whether outdoor athletic and marching band activities may proceed.
- Schools must take on-site WBGT readings at least 15 minutes before outdoor practice and repeat measurements every 30 minutes while students remain outside.
- Activity limits are tied to WBGT thresholds and can force more water breaks, shorter sessions, limits on practice time, delays or cancellations, and required rapid-cooling equipment such as cold-water immersion.
- Many districts purchased WBGT monitors this summer, updated emergency plans and trained staff, and coaches have shifted practices earlier, later or indoors to comply.
- WBGT combines air temperature, humidity, direct sunlight, wind and radiant heat to give a fuller measure of heat stress than the shade-based heat index and has long use in settings such as the U.S. military as Texas faces repeated extreme-heat summers.