Why Wind Chill?

[big rockpile]

Use to be they gave weather forecast nothing was said about Wind Chill, now half the forecast is about Wind Chill. Yes I know it is a concern but I much rather just know actual temperature, if wind isn't hitting something Wind Chill don't figure in for me.

big rockpile

[potatoguru]

The "weathermen" as they call them now adays like to hype everything up to make it seem much worse than it really is see they can get better tv ratings. Thats always been my theory at least. Goes on ALL the time in Oregon with out sleazy news stations. If we get half an inch snow or it dips below thirty they freak out and make it seem like the second ice age is coming or something.

[jwal10]

More to muddle so the masses won't figure out the guessers are mostly wrong....James

[ErinP]

I vividly remember walking to (high) school on a day when the windchill was broadcast as -55º...

That was twenty five years ago.

[gone-a-milkin]

Windchill definitely matters to people who have to be outside for any length of time.

[farmerDale]

Of course windchill doesn't matter in Oregon or Missouri. But where it actually gets cold, it certainly does matter. Up here today for example it was -24C. But it was WINDY. The windchill made it feel like -45C. If I dressed like it was the air temp. of -24C, I would have some issues. But I dressed like it was a felt temperature of -45, and it was not too bad.

I think that is why they have WC values up here. Down there, I have no idea why they have them. It has to be cold to have much impact on skin freezing etc...

[Shrek]

We now live in a society where many don't have the common sense to realize that if it is 36 degrees with 20 mph winds they are going to get frost bit as if it were single digits or below is all.

[sammyd]

Certainly have had wind chill readings since I can remember.

[Ardie/WI]

Iffen a person doesn't have the sense to know that it's cold out there, they should be outside! Common sense!

To me, it's just the media trying to stir up the hysterical masses!

The other morning, I told DH that now that the news media had everyone all worried about the propane shortage, they are going to start on a firewood shortage. Sure enough, that night they were! Blah, blah, blah, just about the time a double truck full of wood drove by on the way to the sawmill!

[manfred]

I agree with big rockpile.... seems like they race through the weather report so that they can get right to the sports. Stop all the windchill stuff and we could get more time with the forecast.

[SFM in KY]

Originally Posted by gone-a-milkin

Windchill definitely matters to people who have to be outside for any length of time.

Spent the majority of my life in MT and much of that working outside with livestock, winter as well as summer. The windchill is definitely a consideration if you're working outside for hours at a time and as far as I can remember, the windchill was usually mentioned, especially if it was significant. Of course, in MT and WY, significant was in the 20 mph up ... not 5 mph ...

[MichaelZ]

This is part marketing. Whoever can give the most sensational forecast might gain a competitive edge. It has gotten ridiculous. There are warnings for everything from "frost alerts" to alerts for any rainfall that will exceed 1" and even more ridiculous alerts that are showing up.

The other part of this is that windchill is a legitimate concern to humans and animals and we perhaps have better ways to predict it. Certainly we have better ways to predict the wind speeds and weather in general than years gone by. Wind chill plays very little in travel however - think about it - when you drive on a highway at 10F, the wind chill on your car will always be in the -50F range cause you are in effect experiencing a 60MPH wind. The wind will more quickly cool your parked car though, leading to it not starting.

For me, I have concerns traveling when the actual temps are below -10F. At -20F hoses and belts easily break, leaving you stranded.

It is a good idea to have extra clothes and blankets in your car whenever you travel in cold weather.

[7thswan]

Our wind is going from not noticeable this morning , up to 30-40 mph this afternoon. I will go do anything I need outside this morning. The wind changes things to a great degree , my face, my dogs tagging along, me stuffing the rabbit cages full with alfala , something I usally don't have to do,but the wind is comeing in from the east-right into their cages. It blows snow, which attaches to their fur and will kill them.

[oreo]

Recently a weatherman explained it like this, lick your finger and hold it out. Nothing but a wet finger. Now blow on it. Feel the difference? He was explaining how bridges freeze faster than roads but I think it helps explain wind chill. Also, many people use wind chill (fan) to cool themselves in the summer. Its not really cooling the air, just moving it but I think most people will agree that moving air in summer does help.

[BigHenTinyBrain]

While I do agree that the TV and radio weather report is becoming a circus of alarmism, I appreciate hearing what the wind chill is. We live on an exposed hillside, my husband works outside and my animals are free to go out in any weather. If I am in my toasty house I may not notice how cold it is outside. I find that the weather band forecasts are generally accurate and do not include excessive blabber. Having an idea what the wind chill will be for the day allows us to prepare ourselves and our animals for especially windy or cold weather.

Yesterday it snowed in Maine. All day. Light, fluffy, moderately low visibility. Maybe about a foot of accumulation here. I'm sure it was worse in some places, but... the TV at work broke into a weather report every 10 minutes or so. They had one poor newscaster standing on the side of the road all day. Constant updates, kept referring to it as a "Weather EVENT".
Well duh, it's Maine, and it's February. It's a snowstorm (and really a very pleasant, mild, pretty one).

[ErinP]

I tend to agree with Dale. I think those of us who live where it's both windy AND cold on a regular basis have always heard windchill temps, as well as regular because windchill is the relevant one.
Who cares what the actual temp is? That's not what is going to be hitting my face when I head out to do chores!

If you head out the door when it's -5º, but with a 25mph wind, it's nice to have someone else do the math for you, so you know it's actually -30º...
-5º means you don't need a scarf/mask for a 10 minute project, -30, OTOH you do.

[potatoguru]

Originally Posted by farmerDale

Of course windchill doesn't matter in Oregon or Missouri. But where it actually gets cold, it certainly does matter. Up here today for example it was -24C. But it was WINDY. The windchill made it feel like -45C. If I dressed like it was the air temp. of -24C, I would have some issues. But I dressed like it was a felt temperature of -45, and it was not too bad.

I think that is why they have WC values up here. Down there, I have no idea why they have them. It has to be cold to have much impact on skin freezing etc...

I agree with you 100%, it matters in colder areas up north but not so much in the states with milder winter weather like Oregon.

[wr]

Originally Posted by Ardie/WI

Iffen a person doesn't have the sense to know that it's cold out there, they should be outside! Common :

Not everybody has the luxury of simply going inside. Livestock need to be fed and bedded, waterers freeze and no matter how cold and many people's occupations require they work outside in extreme temperatures. My worked on drilling rigs for a while and there were many days at -40 or colder.

[jwal10]

Oregon has cold weather. It was 5 degrees the other day in the gorge and the wind gusts were up to 75 mph. 35-45 mph sustained winds. North east Oregon is below 0 right now....James

[emdeengee]

We have always had wind chills as part of our temperature reports for all the decades that I have been listening. Perhaps it has not been important in the south but in the north it has always been important.