If it’s 18 degrees outside, why does it feel like 0 degrees? What to know about wind chill
Wind chill values across North Texas ranged from -10 to 2 degrees around 5 a.m. Wednesday.
All of North Texas is under an extreme cold warning until Thursday morning, with much of the region not expected to get above freezing until Friday, according to the National Weather Service Fort Worth.
The NWS weather station at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport recorded 13 degrees and -7 degree wind chill on Wednesday morning, which makes it the coldest morning of this winter season.
[MORE: Hundreds of flights delayed at DFW Airport Wednesday morning]
Sub-zero wind chills are expected again on Thursday morning. What exactly are wind chills, and how is wind chill calculated? Here’s what to know.
What does wind chill mean?
Wind chill temperatures are how cold people and animals feel when outside.
It’s based on the the rate of heat loss from exposed skin caused by wind and cold, according to the NWS. Essentially, as wind increases, it draws heat from the body and drives down skin temperatures and internal body temperatures.
The NWS calculates wind chill temperatures with the following formula: Wind chill (ºF) = 35.74 + 0.6215T - 35.75(V^0.16) + 0.4275T(V^0.16).
For those looking for an easier way to calculate wind chill, the NWS has a free online calculator. By entering in the temperatures and wind speed, the calculator will convert the data to wind chill temperatures.
The calculator only works for temperatures at or below 50 degrees and wind speeds above 3 mph, according to the NWS.
This story was originally published February 19, 2025 at 10:25 AM.
