Updraft: November 19, 2008 Archive

Wind Chill Chart

Posted at 6:07 AM on November 19, 2008 by Craig Edwards (2 Comments)

It has been several years now since the National Weather Service, in concert with the greater science community, implemented an upgraded version of the Wind Chill Index.

Researchers concluded that the additional chill on exposed skin was not as harsh, due in some part to the fact that the wind observation is taken at about 30 feet above ground and most of us have our body parts within the first 6 and a half feet of the ground.

Friction from the earth reduces the wind so the speed of the wind at face level is accordingly reduced from the wind reported at 30 feet.

Regardless, under the new formula, a wind chill of 20 below zero or greater is considered dangerous.

Wind Chill Index

More lake effect snow kicks in tonight on the downwind side of the Great Lakes, but generally dry for the remainder of the region.

CE

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