What factor can increase the risk of hypothermia?

Dampness or wetness significantly increases the risk of hypothermia because moisture affects the body's ability to retain heat. When the skin is wet, either from sweat or rain, it loses heat more rapidly than when it is dry. This is due to the significant increase in heat loss through convection and conduction when water is involved. In wet conditions, even if the temperature is not exceptionally low, a person can lose body heat quickly, making it critical to remain dry in cold environments.

While high body temperature and intense physical activity might suggest that a person is warm, these factors do not directly relate to the risk of hypothermia. Intense physical activity can actually produce heat and temporarily ward off cold effects, while cold winds alone, although they can lead to discomfort and accelerate heat loss, do not have the same effect as wet conditions when considering the risk of hypothermia.