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HYPOTHERMIA

Although experiencing subfreezing temperatures in this area is highly unlikely during the summer, the possibility of developing hypothermia is quite real when you’re unprepared for wet conditions and/or chilly temperatures. The combination of wet clothing and wind chill is enough to cause hypothermia at temperatures well above freezing. You can become wet and chilled not only from precipitation but also from falling into a stream or lake, or even from excessive sweating.

Hypothermia is a condition in which core body temperature drops due to loss of heat through the skin at a rate faster than the body’s ability to produce heat. A drop of 1°F in core body temperature is enough to produce shivering, which is the body’s defense mechanism to try and raise core temperature through exertion, as well as slurred speech and loss of judgment. A 2°F drop in temperature leads to loss of coordination, loss of memory, and further loss of judgment and initiative. If your core body temperature decreases by 3°F, you will be unable to walk, will experience debilitating lassitude, and without help, will eventually die.