ABSTRACT
Environmental hypothermia is caused by transfer of heat away from the body through the four processes of conduction, convection, radiation, or evaporation. Since water conducts heat away from the body 20 to 30 times more readily than air, wet clothing or prolonged immersion in water represents a common preventable cause of hypothermia. Immersion in water as warm as 26.6°C (80°F) can lead to hypothermia.4
Convection is the process of heat transfer by the movement of heated material. An example of this mechanism is heat loss in windy conditions. Radiation of heat from the body to the environment and evaporation of water can occur over a wide range of temperatures, causing hypothermia in dry, cold environments.
