Did You Know You Can Get Hypothermia in 80-Degree Weather?

It's true... the link to the right titled, Recognize and Avoid Hypothermia is a treasure trove of information on the causes, recognition and treatment of hypothermia. It is a must-read for anyone venturing away from their home, regardless of the season or the temperature. Here's an excerpt:

How does Hypothermia occur?    

“How do you get hypothermia?” is a question I’ve heard quite a few times.  It’s not a disease and it’s not catching!  But if you are already unwell, this can contribute to your susceptibility.  More on this and other risk factors below.    

When the ambient temperature is less than 28^oC (82^oF), unless your body is protected, you will lose heat to the environment around you.  This means hypothermia can occur in deserts or jungles, not just in arctic or mountain environments.  In fact hypothermia can occur at pretty much any latitude.    

The maintenance of your normal body core temperature, or normothermia, depends on your ability to generate enough heat to balance the heat lost to your surroundings.     

Therefore:    

Hypothermia occurs when your body’s heat loss exceeds its heat generation, causing the heat content of your body to drop.  As the heat content of your body drops, your body core temperature will start to fall.  As your body core temperature drops, your body’s systems start to shut down with vital organs eventually ceasing to function.  If this process is not halted, it will lead to death.    

We can see from the above that, in general terms, hypothermia can come about through increased heat loss or decreased heat generation.    

Outdoors, hypothermia comes about though exposure or immersion.