The National Weather Service will issue wind chill advisories and warnings when a deadly combination of wind and cold air threaten. If no help is available, the victim should be warmed slowly with warm liquids along with dry clothing and blankets. Immediate medical attention should be given to victims suspected of suffering from hypothermia. Warning signs of hypothermia include uncontrollable shivering, memory loss, disorientation, slurred speech and drowsiness. If you or your clothing are wet, then hypothermia becomes even more likely. Most people are surprised to learn that hypothermia deaths can occur with temperatures between 30 and 50 degrees. When you hear of a hiker, climber, hunter or a stranded traveler perishing from cold weather exposure, hypothermia was the cause. Hypothermia is a dangerously low body temperature and is the most common winter weather killer. If you suspect you are experiencing frostbite, hold the frostbitten area closely against warm skin to return blood flow and warmth to the affected area. When frostbite starts, feeling is lost in the affected area and the frozen tissue will take on a white or pale appearance. To minimize frostbite, make sure all body parts are well covered. It first affects exposed body tissue where blood circulation may be limited such as your fingers, toes, nose and ears. How does the wind affect wind chill? See the chart below.įrostbite is the freezing of skin and the body tissue just beneath it.Wind Chill values near minus 25 degrees mean that frostbite is possible within 15 minutes. This means that your body will lose heat at the same rate as it would if the air temperature were minus 30 degrees with no wind. For example, a temperature of minus 5 degrees occurring with a 20 mph wind gives a wind chill near minus 30 degrees. The calculation utilizes wind speed in miles per hour and temperature in degrees Fahrenheit. It takes into account heat loss from the human body to its surroundings during cold and windy weather. The Wind Chill Index helps you determine when dangerous conditions develop that could lead to frostbite or hypothermia. The arctic air, combined with brisk winds, can lead to dangerously cold wind chill values. NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER/BOULDER COĮxtreme wind chill – Potentially life-threatening and often overlookedĮxtremely cold air comes every winter in at least part of the country and affects millions of people across the United States. In this fourth in a series on Winter Weather Preparedness from the National Weather Service, helps you understand wind chill and how to protect yourself from frostbite and hypothermia. Here in Colorado, all residents should be aware of these hazards and be prepared to deal with them. Extreme wind chills can be deadly and bring on the outset of frostbite and hypothermia. Winter weather can not only be trying on the mind and soul, it also presents very real dangers to the human body. Wind chill is a life threatening weather danger that is often ignored or underestimated.
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