How Does Wind Chill Work? Experts Break It Down For You

Now that we've moved into November, despite the fluke of this weekend's mini heat wave, many of us are starting to think about the coolers temps that will inevitably rear their chilly heads sooner rather than later.

To that point, this is a great time for a little review of what "Wind Chill" is and how it's determined.

According to my trusty dictionary, Wind Chill is defined as "the cooling effect of wind blowing on a surface."

So what does that mean? Basically, while the projected high for the day is one temperature, the wind coming into play that day will make it feel cooler than it actually is.

The National Weather Service has some handy little infographics to help us break this down even further.

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For instance, as it's explained in this picture from weather.gov...

"Under calm conditions, the body radiates heat, creating a layer of warmth between our skin and the cold surroundings. But when it's windy, the moving air breaks up this insulating layer and speeds up heat loss by whisking away the warmth from our skin."

So what's the difference in actual degrees from one temp to its wind-chill counterpart? The National Weather Service says that number is determined by cross-referencing the actual air temperature with the wind speed. So, as shown by the graph below, if it's 35 degrees (F) outside, and the windspeed is 25 miles per hour, it's going to feel like it's 23 degrees outside, not 35.

So as important as the projected high and low temps are in any given forecast, as we enter into the winter months especially, keeping in mind the wind speed and/or wind chill will help you to properly prepare to partake in those outdoor activities....or just know when to grab those extra layers for that walk to the bus stop.

To find out more cool weather facts, check out this link to the National Weather Service's "Weather Ready Nation" section of their website.