Wind Chill Calculator
Calculate wind chill temperature and apparent temperature
Actual air temperature
Sustained wind speed
Wind Chill
-6°C
Feels Colder By
6°C
Danger Level: Low - Dress warmly
Wind Chill Chart Reference
Temperature Guidelines
- • Above 32°F: Low risk
- • 32°F to 0°F: Increasing caution
- • 0°F to -20°F: Great caution required
- • Below -20°F: Extreme danger
Protective Measures
- • Wear layers of loose-fitting clothing
- • Cover all exposed skin
- • Keep dry and out of the wind
- • Limit outdoor exposure time
How it works
Wind chill is the “feels-like” temperature in cold, windy conditions. Wind strips away the thin layer of warm air your body heats around your skin, so heat leaves faster and it feels colder than the thermometer. It combines air temperature and wind speed.
Wind chill (apparent temperature)
Wind chill = f(air temperature, wind speed) — drops as wind rises
- temperature
- actual air temperature
- wind speed
- how fast the wind blows
Worked example
- Air temperature = 20 °F
- Wind = 20 mph
- Apply the wind-chill model
Feels like ≈ 4 °F.
Good to know
- Wind chill only applies at or below ~50 °F; in heat, the heat index is the relevant adjustment.
- It affects exposed skin and frostbite risk, not the actual temperature of objects.
- Wind chill can't drop below the air temperature only in the sense that calm air feels like the real temperature.
Related Calculators
Frequently Asked Questions
What is wind chill?
Wind chill is the 'feels-like' temperature on exposed skin: moving air strips away the thin warm layer your body generates, accelerating heat loss so it feels colder than the actual air temperature.
How is wind chill calculated?
The US National Weather Service formula is T(wc) = 35.74 + 0.6215T - 35.75V^0.16 + 0.4275T·V^0.16, with T in °F and V the wind speed in mph. It's based on modern models of facial heat loss.
When does wind chill apply?
The formula is defined for temperatures at or below 50°F with winds above 3 mph. In warm weather the equivalent 'feels-like' concept is the heat index, which factors in humidity instead of wind.
At what wind chill does frostbite become a danger?
Around -18°F (-28°C) wind chill, exposed skin can freeze in about 30 minutes; near -35°F the window shrinks to roughly 10 minutes. Cover extremities — fingers, ears, and nose freeze first.
Does wind chill affect cars, pipes, or other objects?
No — wind chill only describes heat loss from warm living tissue. Wind makes objects cool to the actual air temperature faster, but they can never drop below it; your radiator won't freeze at 35°F no matter the wind.