Wind Chill Warnings: What You Should Do Before You Go Out

"Wind chill" gets tossed around a lot during winter weather forecasts, but meteorologists use it for a specific reason: to warn you about real danger. With extreme cold gripping parts of the country this weekend, understanding what wind chill actually means could keep you safe. Here's what you need to know about how it's measured and how to protect yourself when the numbers drop.

How Wind Chill Actually Works

Wind chill measures how cold the air feels on your skin, taking wind speed into account. Think of it like the summer heat index, which combines temperature and humidity to show you what it really feels like outside.

Here's what's happening: your body naturally warms a thin layer of air right above your skin. That layer acts as insulation against the cold. But when the wind blows, it strips that protective layer away and replaces it with frigid air. The stronger the wind, the faster you lose heat. Your body keeps trying to rewarm that air layer, but it's fighting a losing battle.

Meteorologists don't just guess at wind chill values. They use a specific equation that factors in the actual air temperature and current wind speed. For example, if it's 20°F outside with 20 mph winds, the wind chill drops to 4°F. That's what your exposed skin actually experiences.