Wind Chill

Wind chill describes how cold the air feels on your skin when the wind blows. Even if the thermometer says 30 degrees Fahrenheit, strong wind can make it feel like 15 degrees. Your body loses heat faster when the wind blows. Wind chill warnings help people dress warmly and stay safe.

How Wind Chill Works

Your body warms a thin layer of air right next to your skin. When the wind blows, it strips away that warm layer. Your body has to work harder to warm up a new layer, which gets blown away too. The faster the wind blows, the faster you lose heat. This makes the air feel much colder than it really is.

Staying Safe in Wind Chill

When wind chill is very low, exposed skin can get frostbite in just minutes. Wearing layers of clothing helps trap warm air close to your body. Covering your face, ears, and fingers is important. Weather forecasters report wind chill temperatures so people know how cold it will really feel outside.

Fun Facts

• Wind chill only affects people and animals, not objects like cars or water pipes.
• At a wind chill of minus 18 degrees Fahrenheit, frostbite can happen in 30 minutes.
• The wind chill formula was updated in 2001 to be more accurate based on modern science.

Did You Know?

The concept of wind chill was first studied in Antarctica in the 1940s. Scientists measured how fast water froze in different wind speeds and used that information to estimate how cold the wind makes people feel!