Wind Chill Temperature (WCT) is the temperature it "feels like" outdoors and is based on the rate of heat loss from exposed skin caused by the combined effects of wind and cold. As the wind increases, the body is cooled at a faster rate causing the skin temperature to drop; for example, a temperature of 0°F and a wind speed of 15 mph will produce a wind chill temperature of -19°F. In 2001, National Weather Service implemented an updated WCT index [NH07] .
Note: Wind Chill Temperature is only defined for temperatures at or below 50°F and wind speeds above 3 mph. Bright sunshine may increase the wind chill temperature by 10 to 18°F. In the table below, WCT values are rounded to the nearest degree Fahrenheit.
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COLD |
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COLDER |
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VERY COLD |
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BITTER COLD |
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EXTREME COLD |
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FRIGIDLY COLD |
| wind chill temperatures / 0F | |||||||||||||||||||||
| wind speed / mph | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 25 | 30 | 35 | 40 | 45 | 50 | ||||
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40 | 38 | 37 | 36 | 36 | 35 | 34 | 33 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 31 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 40 | |
| 38 | 36 | 35 | 34 | 33 | 32 | 31 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 38 | ||
| 36 | 34 | 33 | 32 | 31 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 36 | ||
| 34 | 32 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 34 | ||
| 32 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 32 | ||
| 30 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 30 | ||
| 28 | 25 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 28 | ||
| 26 | 23 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 26 | ||
| 24 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 24 | ||
| 22 | 18 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 22 | ||
| 20 | 16 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | -1 | -2 | -3 | 20 | ||
| 18 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | -1 | -3 | -4 | -5 | -6 | 18 | ||
| 16 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | -1 | -3 | -4 | -5 | -6 | -7 | -8 | 16 | ||
| 14 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | -1 | -1 | -2 | -3 | -4 | -5 | -7 | -8 | -9 | -10 | -11 | 14 | ||
| 12 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 0 | -1 | -2 | -4 | -4 | -5 | -5 | -6 | -8 | -10 | -11 | -12 | -13 | -14 | 12 | ||
| 10 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | -2 | -4 | -5 | -6 | -7 | -7 | -8 | -9 | -11 | -12 | -14 | -15 | -16 | -17 | 10 | ||
| 8 | 2 | 0 | -1 | -2 | -4 | -6 | -7 | -9 | -9 | -10 | -11 | -12 | -13 | -15 | -16 | -18 | -19 | -20 | 8 | ||
| 6 | 0 | -2 | -3 | -5 | -7 | -8 | -10 | -11 | -12 | -12 | -13 | -14 | -16 | -18 | -19 | -20 | -22 | -23 | 6 | ||
| 4 | -2 | -4 | -6 | -7 | -9 | -11 | -12 | -14 | -14 | -15 | -16 | -17 | -19 | -20 | -22 | -23 | -24 | -25 | 4 | ||
| 2 | -5 | -7 | -8 | -9 | -12 | -13 | -15 | -16 | -17 | -17 | -18 | -19 | -21 | -23 | -25 | -26 | -27 | -28 | 2 | ||
| 0 | -7 | -9 | -11 | -12 | -14 | -16 | -17 | -19 | -19 | -20 | -21 | -22 | -24 | -26 | -27 | -29 | -30 | -31 | 0 | ||
| -2 | -9 | -11 | -13 | -14 | -17 | -18 | -20 | -21 | -22 | -23 | -24 | -25 | -27 | -29 | -30 | -32 | -33 | -34 | -2 | ||
| -4 | -11 | -14 | -15 | -17 | -19 | -21 | -22 | -24 | -25 | -25 | -26 | -27 | -29 | -31 | -33 | -34 | -36 | -37 | -4 | ||
| -6 | -14 | -16 | -18 | -19 | -21 | -23 | -25 | -26 | -27 | -28 | -29 | -30 | -32 | -34 | -36 | -37 | -38 | -40 | -6 | ||
| -8 | -16 | -18 | -20 | -21 | -24 | -26 | -28 | -29 | -30 | -30 | -31 | -32 | -35 | -37 | -38 | -40 | -41 | -42 | -8 | ||
| -10 | -18 | -20 | -22 | -24 | -26 | -28 | -30 | -32 | -32 | -33 | -34 | -35 | -37 | -39 | -41 | -43 | -44 | -45 | -10 | ||
| -12 | -20 | -23 | -25 | -26 | -29 | -31 | -33 | -34 | -35 | -35 | -37 | -38 | -40 | -42 | -44 | -45 | -47 | -48 | -12 | ||
| -14 | -23 | -25 | -27 | -29 | -31 | -33 | -35 | -37 | -37 | -38 | -39 | -40 | -43 | -45 | -47 | -48 | -50 | -51 | -14 | ||
| -16 | -25 | -27 | -29 | -31 | -34 | -36 | -38 | -39 | -40 | -41 | -42 | -43 | -45 | -48 | -49 | -51 | -53 | -54 | -16 | ||
| -18 | -27 | -30 | -32 | -33 | -36 | -38 | -40 | -42 | -42 | -43 | -44 | -46 | -48 | -50 | -52 | -54 | -55 | -57 | -18 | ||
| -20 | -30 | -32 | -34 | -36 | -38 | -41 | -43 | -44 | -45 | -46 | -47 | -48 | -51 | -53 | -55 | -57 | -58 | -60 | -20 | ||
| -25 | -35 | -38 | -40 | -42 | -45 | -47 | -49 | -51 | -51 | -52 | -54 | -55 | -58 | -60 | -62 | -64 | -65 | -67 | -25 | ||
| -30 | -41 | -44 | -46 | -48 | -51 | -53 | -55 | -57 | -58 | -59 | -60 | -61 | -64 | -67 | -69 | -71 | -72 | -74 | -30 | ||
| -35 | -46 | -49 | -52 | -54 | -57 | -59 | -61 | -63 | -64 | -65 | -67 | -68 | -71 | -73 | -76 | -78 | -79 | -81 | -35 | ||
| -40 | -52 | -55 | -57 | -60 | -63 | -66 | -68 | -70 | -71 | -71 | -73 | -74 | -78 | -80 | -82 | -84 | -86 | -88 | -40 | ||
| 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 25 | 30 | 35 | 40 | 45 | 50 | ||||
| wind speed / mph | |||||||||||||||||||||
COLD: generally unpleasant; COLDER: unpleasant; VERY COLD: very unpleasant, frostbite possible < 30 min, exposed skin can freeze within 5 min; BITTER COLD: frostbites times < 10 min, exposed skin can freeze within 3 min; EXTREMELY COLD: frostbites likely < 5 min, exposed skin can freeze within 1 min, outdoor activity becomes dangerous; FRIGIDLY COLD: exposed skin can freeze in 30 seconds.
| UPDATED : 2005-04-16 | WEBSITE EDITOR : Krešimir J. Adamić |