Wind Chill Guide

In order for your body to work properly, its temperature needs to be around 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. If cold causes your body temperature to drop below 95 degrees, your heart begins to slow down, your body becomes weak and your mind becomes confused. You could die. This is why you should understand the hazards of wind chill.

What is wind chill? It is the effect of the wind in combination with actual temperature that increases the rate of heat loss from the human body. As the wind increases, heat is carried away from a person's body at an accelerated rate, driving down body temperature.

Wind chill makes cold weather seem colder.

When a Wind Chill Advisory is issued, it means that wind chill temperatures are expected to be between 30 degrees below zero and 50 degrees below zero. When a Wind Chill Warning is issued, wind chill temperatures are expected to be 50 degrees below zero or colder.

The chart below will help you determine wind chills. Remember wind chill only affects people and animals, not inanimate objects (such as your car).

Wind Chill Guide Chart


Temperature (Fahrenheit)

Calm35302520151050-5-10-15-20-25-30-35-40-45
Windspeed (MPH)5322722161160-5-10-15-21-26-31-36-42-47-52
102216103-3-9-15-22-27-34-40-46-52-58-64-71-77
151692-5-11-18-25-36-38-45-51-58-65-72-78-85-92
20124-3-10-17-24-31-39-46-53-60-67-74-81-88-95-103
2581-7-15-22-29-36-44-51-59-66-74-81-88-96-103-110
306-2-10-18-25-33-41-49-56-64-71-79-86-93-101-109-116
354--4-12-20-27-35-43-52-58-67-74-82-89-97-105-113-120
403-5-13-21-29-37-45-53-60-69-76-84-92-100-107-115-123
402-6-14-22-30-38-46-54-62-70-78-85-93-102-109-117-125