M: What is the current consensus on how much water a person should drink per day on average? How much does that change as weather gets warmer?
G: The general guideline is around 2.7 liters (91 ounces) per day for women and 3.7 liters (125 ounces) per day for men, which includes all fluids from beverages and food. However, this varies based on factors like activity level, body size, and climate.
As temperatures rise, fluid loss increases due to sweating, so you need to drink more to compensate. A common recommendation is to increase intake by 500 mL to 1 liter (17–34 ounces) per hour of activity in hot conditions, though this depends on humidity and individual sweat rates.
A practical approach is to monitor urine color—pale yellow indicates good hydration, while darker yellow suggests you need more fluids.