weather hype- the wind chill factor

[whitehall]

The weather channel loves the wind chill factor because they get to post incredible temperatures and presumably get more viewers. I've seen weather channel maps on cold winter days with incredible low temperatures and I had to look twice to see that the temperatures weren't real, they were factored. Weather experts can't even agree about the WCF formula. It's based on how "normal" people feel the wind on bare skin. Anybody will tell you that there isn't much bare skin on cold winter days and most people turn their faces away from the wind or, gasp, get out of the wind. The wind isn't always blowing nor does it blow at the same speed but the weather experts take the highest recorded velocity and post that number. The WCF numbers are notoriously inaccurate but they are fun so that's what we get.

 

[Si modo]

{{{Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr}}}

 

[uscitizen]

Umm this thread is hype.

 

[Mr. H.]

Why don't they report wind chill temps during the summer.
i.e. it's 90, but with the wind it feels like 80.

 

[Caroljo]

Well i'll tell ya what.....those wind chills here in Michigan this week are CHILLY! Lol!
Where i am, the temp was -2 this morning with a wind chill of 15 below! In the upper peninsula their wind chill was down to almost 40 below~! Gosh but i hate winter!!!

 

[SSDD]

Umm this thread is hype.

So is the agw hypothesis.

 

[whitehall]

Why don't they report wind chill temps during the summer.
i.e. it's 90, but with the wind it feels like 80.

They ought to report the sun factor in the winter. Maybe that faint glow in the sky doesn't feel like much in Fargo but when it gets cold south of the Mason Dixon line on a sunny day that sun sure feels good.

 

[Politico]

Umm this thread is hype.

Not really. They do it. Especially during hurricanes. They report some super high gust of wind at 30,000 as the storm's windspeed because sounds worse.

 

[Oddball]

The weather channel loves the wind chill factor because they get to post incredible temperatures and presumably get more viewers. I've seen weather channel maps on cold winter days with incredible low temperatures and I had to look twice to see that the temperatures weren't real, they were factored. Weather experts can't even agree about the WCF formula. It's based on how "normal" people feel the wind on bare skin. Anybody will tell you that there isn't much bare skin on cold winter days and most people turn their faces away from the wind or, gasp, get out of the wind. The wind isn't always blowing nor does it blow at the same speed but the weather experts take the highest recorded velocity and post that number. The WCF numbers are notoriously inaccurate but they are fun so that's what we get.

Because they use the rate at which exposed flesh freezes, wind chill factor numbers are far closer to reality to the "heat index" crap that meteorologists peddle in the summer, to try and tell you that 90° @ 55% humidity "feels like" 110°.

I've been in 110° in Phoenix (among other places) and 95° w/55% in San Antonio (among other places), and I'm here to tell you they feel nothing alike.

 

[del]

The weather channel loves the wind chill factor because they get to post incredible temperatures and presumably get more viewers. I've seen weather channel maps on cold winter days with incredible low temperatures and I had to look twice to see that the temperatures weren't real, they were factored. Weather experts can't even agree about the WCF formula. It's based on how "normal" people feel the wind on bare skin. Anybody will tell you that there isn't much bare skin on cold winter days and most people turn their faces away from the wind or, gasp, get out of the wind. The wind isn't always blowing nor does it blow at the same speed but the weather experts take the highest recorded velocity and post that number. The WCF numbers are notoriously inaccurate but they are fun so that's what we get.

Because they use the rate at which exposed flesh freezes, wind chill factor numbers are far closer to reality to the "heat index" crap that meteorologists peddle in the summer, to try and tell you that 90° @ 55% humidity "feels like" 110°.

I've been in 110° in Phoenix (among other places) and 95° w/55% in San Antonio (among other places), and I'm here to tell you they feel nothing alike.

i left boston one afternoon when it was high 80's with matching humidity and got off the plane at phoenix where it was 108.

it felt much better

 

[Old Rocks]

I have worked on an engineering core drill in the high desert in Eastern Oregon at 105 F., visited Van Buren, Missouri a few years later, at 94 degrees and 94% humidity. No way would I want to work in that. 105 in the high desert was far cooler. Your sweat evaporated and cooled you.

 

[whitehall]

The weather channel loves the wind chill factor because they get to post incredible temperatures and presumably get more viewers. I've seen weather channel maps on cold winter days with incredible low temperatures and I had to look twice to see that the temperatures weren't real, they were factored. Weather experts can't even agree about the WCF formula. It's based on how "normal" people feel the wind on bare skin. Anybody will tell you that there isn't much bare skin on cold winter days and most people turn their faces away from the wind or, gasp, get out of the wind. The wind isn't always blowing nor does it blow at the same speed but the weather experts take the highest recorded velocity and post that number. The WCF numbers are notoriously inaccurate but they are fun so that's what we get.

Because they use the rate at which exposed flesh freezes, wind chill factor numbers are far closer to reality to the "heat index" crap that meteorologists peddle in the summer, to try and tell you that 90° @ 55% humidity "feels like" 110°.

I've been in 110° in Phoenix (among other places) and 95° w/55% in San Antonio (among other places), and I'm here to tell you they feel nothing alike.

Sorry OB but the wind chill factor has nothing to do with the rate at which skin freezes. Simply put the WCF is the "felt" air temperature on exposed skin. Inanimate objects cannot get below the ambient temperature no matter how hard the wind blows. The attempt to maintain surface temperature in an environment of faster heat loss due to wind results in the perception of lower temperature. The THI is interesting in the fact that it considers the relationship between ambient heat and humidity but does not take wind speed into consideration even though it is an important factor.

 

[Old Rocks]

The weather channel loves the wind chill factor because they get to post incredible temperatures and presumably get more viewers. I've seen weather channel maps on cold winter days with incredible low temperatures and I had to look twice to see that the temperatures weren't real, they were factored. Weather experts can't even agree about the WCF formula. It's based on how "normal" people feel the wind on bare skin. Anybody will tell you that there isn't much bare skin on cold winter days and most people turn their faces away from the wind or, gasp, get out of the wind. The wind isn't always blowing nor does it blow at the same speed but the weather experts take the highest recorded velocity and post that number. The WCF numbers are notoriously inaccurate but they are fun so that's what we get.

Because they use the rate at which exposed flesh freezes, wind chill factor numbers are far closer to reality to the "heat index" crap that meteorologists peddle in the summer, to try and tell you that 90° @ 55% humidity "feels like" 110°.

I've been in 110° in Phoenix (among other places) and 95° w/55% in San Antonio (among other places), and I'm here to tell you they feel nothing alike.

Sorry OB but the wind chill factor has nothing to do with the rate at which skin freezes. Simply put the WCF is the "felt" air temperature on exposed skin. Inanimate objects cannot get below the ambient temperature no matter how hard the wind blows. The attempt to maintain surface temperature in an environment of faster heat loss due to wind results in the perception of lower temperature. The THI is interesting in the fact that it considers the relationship between ambient heat and humidity but does not take wind speed into consideration even though it is an important factor.

Well, yes and no. A wind chill factor in the 20's when the ambiant is above freezing will not freeze your skin, that is true. However, you will lose heat through your skin as if the temperature were in the 20's. However, if the ambiant temperature is below freezing, then the wind chill factor does play a big part in how fast your skin will freeze.

 

[whitehall]

Because they use the rate at which exposed flesh freezes, wind chill factor numbers are far closer to reality to the "heat index" crap that meteorologists peddle in the summer, to try and tell you that 90° @ 55% humidity "feels like" 110°.

I've been in 110° in Phoenix (among other places) and 95° w/55% in San Antonio (among other places), and I'm here to tell you they feel nothing alike.

Sorry OB but the wind chill factor has nothing to do with the rate at which skin freezes. Simply put the WCF is the "felt" air temperature on exposed skin. Inanimate objects cannot get below the ambient temperature no matter how hard the wind blows. The attempt to maintain surface temperature in an environment of faster heat loss due to wind results in the perception of lower temperature. The THI is interesting in the fact that it considers the relationship between ambient heat and humidity but does not take wind speed into consideration even though it is an important factor.

Well, yes and no. A wind chill factor in the 20's when the ambiant is above freezing will not freeze your skin, that is true. However, you will lose heat through your skin as if the temperature were in the 20's. However, if the ambiant temperature is below freezing, then the wind chill factor does play a big part in how fast your skin will freeze.

The wind speed can cause a loss of body heat and result in hypothermia but the actual temperature is the only factor in frostbite. An object cannot get colder than the temperature indicates no matter how hard the wind blows. It just feels colder.

 

[tinydancer]

After minus 20 degrees celcius frankly you really don't give a damn . It's so cold it feels like it burns when wind whips at your face.

Here's my week. Looks like I'm going to get a heat wave on the weekend.

Starting tonight...
Frigid Lo -30°
Wed
Jan 23
Frigid -22°Lo -32°

Thu
Jan 24
Snow -17°Lo -29°

Fri
Jan 25
Partly sunny -22°Lo -23°

Sat
Jan 26
Very cold -15°Lo -17°


Cabin fever is setting in.

 

[Old Rocks]

Well, -20 Celsius is not all that cold. -20 F is considerably colder. And I have seen the temps drop below -40 F in Eastern Oregon. Official low for Seneca, Oregon, is -53, unofficial, -60.

 

[Oddball]

The weather channel loves the wind chill factor because they get to post incredible temperatures and presumably get more viewers. I've seen weather channel maps on cold winter days with incredible low temperatures and I had to look twice to see that the temperatures weren't real, they were factored. Weather experts can't even agree about the WCF formula. It's based on how "normal" people feel the wind on bare skin. Anybody will tell you that there isn't much bare skin on cold winter days and most people turn their faces away from the wind or, gasp, get out of the wind. The wind isn't always blowing nor does it blow at the same speed but the weather experts take the highest recorded velocity and post that number. The WCF numbers are notoriously inaccurate but they are fun so that's what we get.

Because they use the rate at which exposed flesh freezes, wind chill factor numbers are far closer to reality to the "heat index" crap that meteorologists peddle in the summer, to try and tell you that 90° @ 55% humidity "feels like" 110°.

I've been in 110° in Phoenix (among other places) and 95° w/55% in San Antonio (among other places), and I'm here to tell you they feel nothing alike.

Sorry OB but the wind chill factor has nothing to do with the rate at which skin freezes. Simply put the WCF is the "felt" air temperature on exposed skin. Inanimate objects cannot get below the ambient temperature no matter how hard the wind blows. The attempt to maintain surface temperature in an environment of faster heat loss due to wind results in the perception of lower temperature. The THI is interesting in the fact that it considers the relationship between ambient heat and humidity but does not take wind speed into consideration even though it is an important factor.

That's because heat is lost when more air passes over the skin....Especially cold air.

The WCF is at least semi-scientific, while the "heat index" is pure media generated crap.

 

[del]

Well, -20 Celsius is not all that cold. -20 F is considerably colder. And I have seen the temps drop below -40 F in Eastern Oregon. Official low for Seneca, Oregon, is -53, unofficial, -60.

-40 is where fahrenheit and celsius meet.

i learned that one long cold day on a radio tower outside of edmonton.

the common expression for this phenomenon is *fucking cold*

 

[Si modo]

Sorry OB but the wind chill factor has nothing to do with the rate at which skin freezes. Simply put the WCF is the "felt" air temperature on exposed skin. Inanimate objects cannot get below the ambient temperature no matter how hard the wind blows. The attempt to maintain surface temperature in an environment of faster heat loss due to wind results in the perception of lower temperature. The THI is interesting in the fact that it considers the relationship between ambient heat and humidity but does not take wind speed into consideration even though it is an important factor.

Well, yes and no. A wind chill factor in the 20's when the ambiant is above freezing will not freeze your skin, that is true. However, you will lose heat through your skin as if the temperature were in the 20's. However, if the ambiant temperature is below freezing, then the wind chill factor does play a big part in how fast your skin will freeze.

The wind speed can cause a loss of body heat and result in hypothermia but the actual temperature is the only factor in frostbite. An object cannot get colder than the temperature indicates no matter how hard the wind blows. It just feels colder.

It feels colder because the wind increases rate of heat transfer.

 

[whitehall]

Because they use the rate at which exposed flesh freezes, wind chill factor numbers are far closer to reality to the "heat index" crap that meteorologists peddle in the summer, to try and tell you that 90° @ 55% humidity "feels like" 110°.

I've been in 110° in Phoenix (among other places) and 95° w/55% in San Antonio (among other places), and I'm here to tell you they feel nothing alike.

Sorry OB but the wind chill factor has nothing to do with the rate at which skin freezes. Simply put the WCF is the "felt" air temperature on exposed skin. Inanimate objects cannot get below the ambient temperature no matter how hard the wind blows. The attempt to maintain surface temperature in an environment of faster heat loss due to wind results in the perception of lower temperature. The THI is interesting in the fact that it considers the relationship between ambient heat and humidity but does not take wind speed into consideration even though it is an important factor.

That's because heat is lost when more air passes over the skin....Especially cold air.

The WCF is at least semi-scientific, while the "heat index" is pure media generated crap.

Contrary to popular myths the wind is never colder than the actual temperature. It just feels cold. Your chances for frostbite have nothing to do with the wind. The ironic thing is that the "heat index" doesn't take the wind into consideration. It's all hype.