I was just reading about the heat index earlier today on Yahoo weather:
Quote:..HEAT INDICES WILL APPROACH 100 LATE THIS AFTERNOON...
TEMPERATURES WILL TOP OUT AROUND 90 LATE THIS AFTERNOON WITH DEW
POINTS IN THE LOWER 70S. THE COMBINATION OF PROJECTED TEMPERATURE
AND DEW POINT WILL CREATE A HEAT INDEX BETWEEN 95 AND 100
DEGREES. THE HEAT INDEX IS A WAY OF MEASURING HOW HOT IT REALLY
FEELS WHEN TEMPERATURE AND DEW POINT ARE COMBINED. READINGS OVER 95
MAKE IT FEEL STICKY AND MUGGY.
IF SPENDING TIME OUTDOORS THIS AFTERNOON DRINK PLENTY OF WATER AND
NON-ALCOHOLIC FLUIDS. DIRECT SUNLIGHT CAN ADD UP TO 10 DEGREES TO
THE HEAT INDEX.
BE CAREFUL HOW YOU USE YOUR FANS. A FAN POINTED DIRECTLY AT A
PERSON MAY DEHYDRATE THE PERSON BY REMOVING MOISTURE FROM THE
SKIN. USE A CIRCULATING FAN INSTEAD TO MOVE AIR THROUGH THE ROOM.
So still being used by the National Weather Service, evidently.