Heat and humidity: Understanding the impacts on the body to prevent illness during heat wave

The heat wave being felt in the Coachella Valley has also been accompanied by some humidity.

Researchers at NASA have conducted studies and collected data thats shows the human body has a harder time cooling itself off in humid heat as opposed to dry heat, due to humid conditions that make sweating and evaporation less efficient.

Doctors at Eisenhower Health said humid conditions increase the likelihood of contributing to heat-related illness, such as heat stroke or heat exhaustion. These dangerous conditions can also be attributed to heat-related deaths.

In the United States, heat waves are the deadliest type of natural disaster, leading to an average of at least 100 deaths per year and likely contributing to many more, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Heat-related illnesses are preventable and the CDC has a full list here of the warning signs you should look out for.

Watch News Channel 3 at 5:00 p.m. tonight for more on the story.