22 August 2023
TOPEKA (KSNT) – Does staying cool during hot weather have anything to do with what you’re wearing? A recent experiment by the National Weather Service (NWS) says yes.
The NWS station of Kansas City conducted an experiment on Monday, Aug. 21 to find out which clothes absorb the most heat, posting the results to social media. The primary purpose of the test was to identify whether it’s better to wear dark or light-colored clothes when temperatures are high outside. The NWS used a variety of jerseys and t-shirts for their experiment:
The NWS conducted their test during a heat wave that brought record high temperatures to much of the Midwest, including Kansas. Places like Topeka saw heat records broken back-to-back while Kansas City set a new heat index record of 118 degrees Fahrenheit.
A follow-up social media post from the NWS a few hours after their first showed the results of the experiment. In short, the lighter-colored clothes displayed cooler temperatures when compared to darker-colored clothes with a maroon and black shirt giving off temperatures in excess of 150 degrees Fahrenheit. Lighter-colored clothes like a white shirt used in the test measured out to just below 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
“The results are in! Clearly the darker colored shirts got a lot warmer in the afternoon sun. The black and maroon shirts were much warmer than the rest. The white T-shirt and white jersey were much cooler.”
“So if you’re headed out this week, wear light & loose fitting clothing.”
NWS of Kansas City social media statement