wet-bulb temperature

[ wet-buhlb tem-per-uh-cher, tem-per-cher, tem-puh-cher ]

noun

, Meteorology.

1. the temperature measured by a wet-bulb thermometer, representing the ambient temperature lowered by the amount of evaporative cooling made possible by the humidity level. : WBT Compare dry-bulb temperature ( def ).

Word History and Origins

Origin of wet-bulb temperature¹

First recorded in 1830–40

Example Sentences

This temperature reduction and humidity increase often offset each other, resulting in minimal change to the wet-bulb temperature, which is a measure of combined heat and humidity stress.

From Science Daily

Vanos said the commonly-used wet-bulb temperature for human survivability assumes the person is indoors or shaded, unclothed, completely sedentary, fully heat acclimatized and of an "average size."

From Science Daily

"The existing wet-bulb temperature estimate of 35 degrees Celsius is used very commonly, with one example being the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report," said Jay, senior author of the paper.

From Science Daily

The wet-bulb temperature limit for human survival indicates the maximum combinations of temperature and humidity that humans can tolerate without suffering inevitable heat stroke over a fixed duration of exposure.

From Science Daily

Breaking the wet-bulb temperature threshold once, it’s worth noting, does not inherently make a place “too hot for humans.”

From Los Angeles Times