Check the wind chill before you go outdoors in the winter, and make sure you are well prepared for the weather. Even moderate wind chill values can be dangerous if you are outside for long periods.
Note: The guidelines on frostbite in the table below apply to healthy adults.
| Wind Chill | Risk of frostbite | Health Concern |
What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 to -9 |
Low | - Slight increase in discomfort | - Dress warmly, with the outside temperature in mind. |
| -10 to -27 |
Low | - Uncomfortable - Risk of hypothermia if outside for long periods without adequate protection |
- Dress in layers of warm clothing, with an outer layer that is wind-resistant. - Wear a hat, mittens and scarf. - Keep active. |
| -28 to -39 |
Increasing risk: exposed skin can freeze in 10 to 30 minutes | - Check face and extremities (fingers, toes, ears and nose) for numbness
or whiteness - Risk of hypothermia if outside for long periods without adequate protection |
- Dress in layers of warm clothing, with an outer layer that is wind-resistant. - Cover exposed skin: wear a hat, mittens and a scarf, neck tube or face mask. - Keep active. |
| -40 to -47 |
High risk: exposed skin can freeze in 5 to 10 minutes* | - Check face and extremities (fingers, toes, ears and nose) for numbness or whiteness (frostbite) - Risk of hypothermia if outside for long periods without adequate protection |
- Dress in layers of warm clothing, with an outer layer that is wind-resistant. - Cover all exposed skin: wear a hat, mittens and a scarf, neck tube or face mask. - Keep active. |
| WARNING LEVEL** -48 to -54 |
High risk: exposed skin can freeze in 2 to 5 minutes* | - Check face and extremities frequently for numbness or whiteness (frostbite) - Serious risk of hypothermia if outside for long periods |
- Be careful. Dress very warmly in layers of clothing, with an outer
layer that is wind-resistant. - Cover all exposed skin: wear a hat, mittens and a scarf, neck tube or face mask. - Be ready to cut short or cancel outdoor activities. - Keep active. |
| -55 and colder | High risk: exposed skin can freeze in less than 2 minutes | DANGER! - Outdoor conditions are hazardous |
- Stay indoors. |
* In sustained winds over 50 km/h, frostbite can occur faster than indicated.
**In parts of the country with a milder climate (such as southern Ontario and the Atlantic provinces except Labrador), a wind chill warning is issued at about -35. Further north, people have grown more accustomed to the cold, and have adapted to the more severe conditions. Because of this, Environment Canada issues warnings at progressively colder wind chill values as you move north. Most of Canada hears a warning at about -45. Residents of the Arctic, northern Manitoba and northern Quebec are warned at about -50, and those of the high Arctic, at about -55.
The Green LaneTM,
Environment Canada's World Wide Web Site.