Heat Index Analysis and Simulations of Select Areas in Iowa, United States

Abstract

Heat is the primary cause of weather-related illnesses in the United States. Often, it is not just the heat but the combination of heat and humidity. The Heat Index reflects what the temperature feels like to the human body when relative humidity is factored in with air temperature, influencing the body's comfort level at any given time. Extreme heat indices lead to significant discomfort and health issues. This research aims to analyze the heat index in selected areas of Iowa. For this project, a DHT11 sensor, which measures temperature and humidity, was connected to an Arduino Uno board. The temperature sensor offers a 16-bit resolution with an accuracy of +/- 2°C and a repeatability of +/- 1°C. The humidity sensor has an accuracy of +/- 5% RH at 25°C and a repeatability of +/- 1% RH. During the experiment on the Arduino Uno, the heat index averaged 72.5°F at room temperature in Iowa city, which is considered safe. Room temperature was also recorded using the TMP36 temperature sensor. Additionally, data from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet (IEM) was processed in real-time to analyze the Heat Index for Des Moines, Iowa. The code incorporated Ip widgets, which allowed for the simulation of random heat indices for any location.