WeatherQuesting with April Holladay, Article printer-friendly version

Wind chills won't freeze water

Q: If the ambient temperature is 35° F with a wind chill factor of 25° F, will water [NOAA] Rochester, Minnesota blizzard in March 1966.freeze? I say no, my friend says yes. How can we test this during this time of the year?  Mike and Keith, Benton, Tennessee

Rochester, Minnesota blizzard in March 1966.  Photo courtesy of the NOAA.

A: You’re right. A wind-chill factor of 25° F (- 4° C) will not freeze water if the air temperature is 35° F (2° C).  Water changes state according to the temperature of the body of the water.  In this case, the water and air temperature are about the same — too high to freeze water.

How to test this during the summer? Tough. Your best bet is to rig up a refrigerator with a 15 mph fan. It takes a 15 mph (24 kph) wind to produce a wind chill factor of 25° F if the air temperature is 35° F. (Related: detailed instructions for carrying out the experiment.)

Further Surfing:

NOAA: National Weather Service wind chill chart

Safety Central: $20-battery operated fan

(Answered June 27, 2003; updated Oct. 3, 2007)

Find this article at: http://weatherquesting.com/wind-chill.htm