Windchill Terms and Definitions

What is wind chill temperature?

Can wind chill impact my car's radiator or exposed water pipe?

What is Frostbite?

What is Hypothermia?

Tips on How to Dress During Cold Weather

Avoid Overexertion

Windchill Factor vs. Wind Chill Temperature
These terms are almost the same. The wind chill factor describes what happens to a body when it is cold and windy outside. As wind increases, heat is carried away from the body at a faster rate, driving down both skin temperature (which can cause frostbite) and eventually the internal body temperature (which can kill).

Windchill temperature is a unit of measurement to describe the wind chill factor. Windchill temperature is a measure of the combined cooling effect of wind and temperature. Since you and your husband ride motorcycles, you can insert your driving speed to estimate the wind speed and the outside temperature. These two parameters combined will give you the wind chill temperature, or how it feels to you skin. On the bottom of the wind chill chart is the updated wind chill temperature formula.

Is it possible to get frostbite if the temperature is above freezing but the wind chill is below freezing?

How is the Windchill is calculated?
The wind chill temperature is calculated using the following formula:
Windchill (ºF) = 35.74 + 0.6215T - 35.75(V^0.16) + 0.4275T(V^0.16)
Where: T = Air Temperature (F) V = Wind Speed (mph) ^ = raised to a power (exponential)
Windchill Temperature is only defined for temperatures at or below 50 degrees F and wind speeds above 3 mph. Bright sunshine may increase the wind chill temperature by 10 to 18 degrees F.

When does the National Weather Service issue a Windchill Advisory or Warning?
Criteria for issuing Windchill Warnings and Advisories are set locally. For the Rochester, NY area, Windchill Warnings are issued when the Windchill Temperature is expected to fall at or below -25 F. Windchill Advisories are issued when the wind chill temperature is expected to fall between -15F and -24F.

Does wind chill only apply to people and animals?
Yes. The only effect wind chill has on inanimate objects, such as car radiators and water pipes, is to more quickly cool the object to cool to the current air temperature. Object will NOT cool below the actual air temperature. For example, if the temperature outside is -5 degrees Fahrenheit and the wind chill temperature is -31 degrees Fahrenheit, then your car's radiator will not drop lower than -5 degrees F.

Does humidity or being near a large water body affect on wind chill?
When we tested the new Windchill Temperature Index (WCTI), our researchers applied the new index to 12 test subjects. The results of the tests showed that relative humidity was an insignificant weather parameter, less than one degree at worst. To simplify the calculation, relative humidity was left out of the formula.

We did research a wet wind chill or blowing water spray. This research was to simulate a person near a body of water or a mariner. These findings are being finalized and may be incorporated for the winter season 2003-2004.


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