Boneyard Tools

Wind Chill Calculator

Enter the air temperature in Fahrenheit and the wind speed in miles per hour to find the wind chill, the temperature it feels like as moving air strips heat from exposed skin. This uses the National Weather Service 2001 formula.

How to calculate wind chill

  1. Enter the air temperature in degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Enter the wind speed in miles per hour.
  3. Read the wind chill in Fahrenheit and Celsius.

Examples

Cold and breezy

T = 30 F, V = 15 mph
Wind chill = 19.0 F (-7.2 C)

Freezing with strong wind

T = 0 F, V = 20 mph
Wind chill = -22.0 F (-30.0 C)

Frequently asked questions

What is wind chill?

Wind chill is how cold the air feels on exposed skin once wind speed is combined with the air temperature. Wind carries body heat away faster, so it feels colder than the thermometer reads.

What formula does this use?

It uses the National Weather Service 2001 wind chill index: WC = 35.74 + 0.6215*T - 35.75*V^0.16 + 0.4275*T*V^0.16, with T in Fahrenheit and V in mph.

What range is the wind chill formula valid for?

It is defined for air temperatures at or below 50 F and wind speeds above 3 mph. Outside that range the result is shown but is not physically meaningful.

Does wind chill affect objects like car engines?

No. Wind chill describes heat loss from warm skin only. It cannot cool an object below the actual air temperature, though wind does make objects reach that temperature faster.

When is wind chill dangerous?

Frostbite can occur within 30 minutes when the wind chill reaches about -19 F, and within 10 minutes near -35 F. Cover exposed skin in these conditions.

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