What Is Wind Chill?
Wind chill describes how cold the air feels on exposed skin when the effect of wind is combined with the actual air temperature. As wind speed increases, the body loses heat more quickly.
For example, the actual temperature may be -15°C while the wind chill makes conditions feel considerably colder on exposed skin. The air itself has not become colder; the wind is increasing the rate at which the body loses heat.
Lower wind chill values can increase the risk of frostbite and hypothermia, particularly during prolonged exposure without adequate protection.
Related Conditions
| Condition | Description |
|---|---|
| Extreme Cold | Dangerously low temperatures that can pose a risk to people, animals and infrastructure. |
| Frostbite Risk | The risk of exposed skin freezing after being subjected to sufficiently cold and windy conditions. |
| Deep Freeze | An extended period when temperatures remain well below freezing. |
| Cold Wave | A prolonged period of unusually cold weather affecting a region. |
| Arctic Air Mass | A large body of extremely cold air that develops over Arctic and polar regions. |
Related Alerts
| Alert | Description |
|---|---|
| Extreme Cold Warning | Warns when very cold temperatures or wind chill create dangerous conditions. |
| Wind Warning | Issued when strong winds are expected to reach warning criteria and create hazardous conditions. |
| Blizzard Warning | Warns of strong winds and severely reduced visibility in snow or blowing snow. |
| Winter Storm Warning | Warns of a significant combination of hazardous winter weather. |
| Blowing Snow Advisory | Issued when blowing snow is expected to significantly reduce visibility. |
What Causes Wind Chill?
Wind chill is caused by the combination of cold temperatures and moving air. Your body constantly gives off heat, which warms a thin layer of air close to exposed skin.
When conditions are calm, some of this warmer air can remain near the body. Wind removes that layer and replaces it with colder air, allowing heat to leave exposed skin more quickly.
The stronger the wind and the colder the temperature, the more rapidly exposed skin can lose heat. This is why a windy winter day can feel much colder than a calm day with the same actual temperature.
Wind chill does not mean that the outdoor air has physically cooled to the wind chill value. If the temperature is -15°C with a wind chill of -25, for example, objects outside will not cool below -15°C solely because of the wind.
Wind chill becomes particularly important during periods of extreme cold, when the combination of low temperatures and strong winds can make exposed skin vulnerable to frostbite much more quickly.
FAQ
Wind chill represents how cold conditions feel on exposed skin when the effects of both air temperature and wind are considered.
Yes. Very low wind chill values increase the rate of heat loss from exposed skin and can significantly increase the risk of frostbite.
The risk increases as wind chill values become lower. Very low values can cause exposed skin to freeze in a relatively short period.