Weather Blog: Wind Chill

Hi Everyone!

The headline today will be Wind Chill. It will feel like 20° to 25° today. Tonight it will feel even colder, numbers like 8° to 12°. No surprise as we have been discussing this cold the past couple of days. But let's talk Wind Chill itself.

I did some research into the history of wind chill, and the backstory is fascinating. That story is a long one involving Antarctic explorers and survival guides. Much too long for this blog so I will ask you to Google, "Who came up with Wind Chill?"

You will see an article from "Popular Mechanics."  It will say, "What is Wind Chill-What does Wind Chill mean?" Open it up. The article title is "The Ridiculous History of Wind Chill." The first line reads "Suffering is better when you can put a number on it!"

In 1945, two of the explorers, Paul Siple, and Charles Passel, measured how wind speed affects the rate of heat loss. Their first experiment involved filling a plastic container with water and hanging it from a pole.

They, actually, were dealing with Wind Chill in very scientific discussion like "watt per square meter" and deep stuff like that. (Actual lifesaving numbers.) But it was not until the 70's that science was converted into "civilian speak." Meteorologists began converting the big math into the familiar temperature equivalents we are familiar with to this day. But the in between story is SO MUCH MORE!!!

How about this some researchers measured the wind at 5 feet above the ground because that is head and shoulder level. Others had volunteers walk on treadmills in cold tunnels wearing sensors on their cheeks, and placing other sensors on the inside of those volunteers cheeks to measure heat loss. I am telling you it is a wild tale.

So while Wind Chill's tonight from 8° to 12° are keeping you inside there is something to occupy your time.

Cheers,
MB!