Wet-bulb temperature is important, climate experts say. So what is it?

A measurement long known to climate scientists has begun creeping into the public consciousness as extreme weather conditions force us to reflect on what conditions humans can withstand.

In a summer of record-breaking heat in many places, severe humidity has made the outdoors feel particularly unbearable. While there are numerous ways to measure climate conditions, some experts say it’s time to start talking about wet-bulb temperature.