Current Wind Chill in...
Wind Speed
20%
Wind Direction
20%
Wind Chill
20%
Feels Like
20%
What is Wind Chill?
Wind chill is a measurement of how cold you feel when you are outside with the wind blowing. The faster the wind blows, the more cold air moves across your skin and the colder you feel. Another way meteorologists explain wind chill is to compare it to blowing on a hot liquid. When you blow across a hot cup of coffee or bowl of soup, the airflow cools down the surface—just like a brisk wind on a cold winter day can leave you shivering.
Wind chill is a greater concern during the winter than in the summer since the formula the National Weather Service (NWS) uses to calculate wind chill is valid for temperatures up to 50 degrees and wind speeds of at least 3 miles per hour.
How Does Humidity Affect Wind Chill?
Humidity isn’t a factor in calculating wind chill. It does, however, influence how you feel. When summer temperatures and humidity are high, but wind speeds are low, the “feels like” temperature will be higher than the actual temperature. Without the wind, the humidity prevents sweat from evaporating from your skin, making you feel hotter.
But in the winter, the combination of low temperatures, low humidity, and high winds can make conditions feel even dryer and more irritating.
Despite not influencing outdoor wind chill, using a humidifier indoors during the winter can help your home feel more comfortable. The extra moisture keeps your skin and nasal passages properly hydrated, counteracting some common winter woes.
It can also be helpful to use a humidifier during the summer to counteract the drying effects of air conditioning.
More About Wind Chill
What Is a Wind Chill Warning?
Wind chill warnings are issued by the National Weather Service when the wind chill is expected to produce such cold temperatures that they can cause severe injury or death to humans. Among the criteria the NWS uses to issue these warnings is the potential for a significant decrease in body temperature due to heat loss and conditions like hypothermia or frostbite on exposed skin in as few as 10 to 15 minutes.
When the NWS releases a wind chill warning, you’re advised to remain indoors unless necessary to venture out. If you need to go outside, take extra precautions to prevent heat loss and protect exposed skin.
What Is The Wind Chill Right Now?
To calculate the current wind chill, you can use the NWS calculator or check on your favorite weather app.
If you prefer to do the math yourself, multiply the current wind speed by 0.7, then subtract the result from the air temperature. In other words, you can calculate wind chill using this formula:
(Air Temperature) - Wind Speed (0.7) = Wind Chill
For example, if the current temperature is 40 degrees, and the wind speed is 10 mph, the wind chill is about 33. This formula isn’t as exact as the one the NWS uses, but it’s accurate within a half degree or so.
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Take a Peek Under The Canopy
Head over to our blog, Under the Canopy to learn more about optimal humidity and the benefits of using a Humidifier in the summer.
