Interesting Info about Windchill
 

This is Environment Canada's new page on Windchill:

http://www.msc.ec.gc.ca/education/windchill/index_e.cfm

It has calculators, facts, history, research info, charts, descriptions ... everything you would want to know about windchill.


In particular, this is an interesting article about frostbite:
http://www.msc.ec.gc.ca/education/wi...rch2003_e.html

From that article:

"New wind chill research has determined precisely how long it takes for exposed skin to freeze in cold winter weather. ... Researchers found a very clear cutoff point in the tolerance of human skin to cold. For wind chill index values from zero down to -27, most of the volunteers did not develop frostnip during the 45 minute trial. However, once the wind chill was colder than -27, the risk increased rapidly. At -40, all the volunteers developed frostnip within ten minutes, and at -55, all developed frostnip within two minutes. Since the volunteers had been chosen to represent a range of healthy adults, the researchers were able to use this study to develop frostbite guidelines which would apply to most healthy Canadian adults."


And I found the comments at the bottom of the Windchill Chart interesting:
http://www.msc.ec.gc.ca/education/wi...ld_chart_e.cfm

"**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."

It all depends on what we're used to!

Great find, I'll have to put a link to it on my site.

I must say though, I'd hate to be one of those frostbite test volunteers! Ow!!

Who would volunteer for this? To taste test booze, sure, but to stand outside and see how long it takes to freeze? Youch.

I'd totally have been a tester and would have done it naked, wearing only a fez

Fez on which head?

Sorry, had to ask.

In kansas, they have wind chill warnings at +10C :p

I like to peek at this site once in a while. Has more than just wind chill if you look at the different 'plot' options. Covers a bit of Canada too (all of it if for NA-temp plot)

http://weather.unisys.com/surface/sfc_con_wchill.html

Al

Bumped for those who were wondering about windchill.

reminds me of the rick mercer episode where he met a professor that studied the effects of cold on the human body and dunked him in ice water. no thank-you!

isn't it true that once you get frostbite you become more susceptible to getting it again?

i'll have to review the article later when i'm not supposed to be bundling up... (speaking of wind chill)

brrr... me poor toeses!