Wind Chill Program

Wind Chill Fact Sheet

Factoids

Try this!

Turn on a fan. Stand in front of it. You will feel colder because of the wind cooling your skin, but the temperature in the room has not changed. You cannot make the room any colder, no matter how high you turn up the fan. Similarly, no matter how strong the wind blows, the temperature of the air outside does not change.

Now dab some water on your skin. Stand in front of the fan again. The wet skin will feel much colder. This demonstrates how important it is to stay dry when outdoors in high wind chills.

Cold -- A deadly weather hazard

In Canada, more than 80 people die each year from over-exposure to the cold. Over a five year period (1992 to 1996), Statistics Canada reported 411 people died from frostbite, hypothermia and other cold injuries. Exposure to extreme cold claims more lives in Canada than lightning, floods or tornadoes -- combined!

Where is the coldest wind chill in Canada?

The coldest wind chill on record occurred at Kugaaruk (formerly Pelly Bay), Nunavut, on January 13, 1975. On that day, the air temperature was -51°C, and the winds were 56 km/h, producing a bone-chilling wind chill of -78.

Wind Chill Quiz

1. Which of the following are affected by wind chill?

    a) your pet dog
    b) your car -- when you first start it
    c) your car -- when it is running
    d) your car -- when it stops
    e) your house
    f) the mail box

Answer: Remember, any object that is warmer than the outside temperature is affected by wind chill.
a) Fido is definitely affected by wind chill. Pets and farm animals should not be left outside during high wind chills.
b) When you first start your car in the morning, the engine is cold, so it is not affected by wind chill. However, if you use a block heater, the wind will reduce its efficiency by blowing away the heated air. Park the car so the heater is sheltered from the wind.
c) When your car is running, the engine is producing heat. The movement of your car creates its own wind, and if outside temperatures are cold enough, your car may not produce enough heat to warm the passenger compartment.
d) When your car has stopped, wind chill will cause it to cool off more rapidly, but once it has cooled down to the outside temperature, it will no longer be affected.
e) Poorly insulated houses lose heat more quickly during high wind chills, and fuel consumption increases.
f) Your mail box is not affected.

2. If the outside temperature is above 0°C, but the wind chill is (-5), will water freeze? What about the water pipes outside my house?

Answer: No matter how strong the wind blows, the outside temperature does not change. If the temperature is above zero, water will not freeze. However, if the outside temperature is below zero, water will freeze, and a strong wind will make your pipes freeze even faster.

3. What effect does wind chill have on plants? Will my garden freeze?

Answer: Wind does affect plants. Plants lose moisture through their leaves, and a strong wind can cause plants to dehydrate, particularly if the ground is frozen and their roots cannot absorb water. However, if the outside temperature is above zero, plants will not freeze. But, if the temperature is below zero, plants will freeze, and, just like your water pipes, a strong wind will make your plants freeze even faster.

4. You hear the following weather report on the radio: "The temperature is -10°C, and the wind chill is -20."

Questions:
 a) If the wind stops blowing, how cold is it outside?
 b) With the wind blowing, what is the temperature outside?

Answer: Both a) & b) have the same answer-- the temperature outside is -10°C. The temperature does not change, no matter how hard the wind blows. Wind chill is a feeling -- not a real temperature. The strong wind will make you feel very cold (as if you were in a room chilled to -20°C), but the outside temperature is still -10°C.

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