Weather Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT)— Athletics Guidance
The Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) is a measure of heat stress in direct sunlight, which takes into account temperature, humidity, wind speed, sun angle, and cloud cover. California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) requires that schools use the WBGT for athletic activity, practices and games.
| WBGT Reading | Athletics Activity Guidelines |
|---|---|
| <less than 82.0°F | Normal activities. Provide at least three separate rest breaks each hour, with a minimum duration of three minutes each during the workout. |
|
82.3 to 87. 0°F |
Use discretion for intense or prolonged exercise. Provide at least three separate rest breaks each hour, with a minimum duration of four minutes each. |
| 87.1 to 90.0 °F |
Maximum outdoor practice time is two hours. For Football: Players are restricted to helmets, shoulder pads, and shorts during practice. If the WBGT rises to this level during practice, players may continue to work out wearing football pants without changing to shorts. All Sports: Provide at least four separate rest breaks each hour with a minimum duration of 4 minutes each. |
| 90.1 to 92.0 °F |
Maximum outdoor practice time is one hour. For Football: No protective equipment may be worn during practice, and there may be no conditioning activities. All Sports: There must be 20 minutes of rest breaks distributed throughout the hour of practice. |
| ≥more than 92.1 °F | No outdoor workouts. Delay practice until a cooler WBGT is reached. |
|
Sensitive groups: Heat combined with air pollution, and sometimes heat alone, can make asthma symptoms worse and trigger attacks. Symptoms of asthma include coughing, wheezing, difficulty breathing, and chest tightness. Even students who do not have asthma could experience these symptoms. If symptoms occur, the student might need to take a break, do a less intense activity, stop all activity, go indoors, or use quick-relief medicine as prescribed. If symptoms don’t improve, seek medical help. Reference Resource Links: CIF WetBulb Globe Temperature and Korey Stringer Institute WBGT Monitoring |
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