Windchill Warning In Effect
Monday, January 16, 2012 @ 10:22 AM
Prince George, B.C.- Don’t expect any break in this deep freeze until at least the weekend.
Environment Canada Meteorologist Jim Steele says the deep chill is regular old winter “Typically, sometime in January or February, you’ll get a big burst of cold air that comes from Alaska, Yukon and into B.C. This is not a totally unusual pattern, but there’s no doubt about it, it’s shocking after the first couple of weeks of the month which saw some record breaking warm temperatures.”
The worst part of this system is the cold northerly winds, which are producing wind chill factors in the -30 to minus 45 Celsius range says Steele, “The combination of the Arctic high pressure from the North and the low pressure to the south are creating gusty winds across the area, so extreme wind chill in many areas.”
Steele says there are three things we will have to deal with before this weather pattern breaks:
1. Windchills of minus 40 today tonight and tomorrow with a danger of frostbite in minutes
2. Once the main area of high pressure settles a little further south, temperatures will dip a little further, but the wind won’t be so severe Wednesday, Thursday Friday, overnight temps of minus 35 and warming up to only minus 25 during the day
3. Gradual moderating trend, maybe into the minus teens, by the weekend, but snowfall along with those milder temps.
Steele says the typical daytime high for this time of year is in the minus 4 range and an overnight low of minus 15 . That’s not to say this cold snap is set to break any records “You’ve got to get into the minus 40’s to get record temperatures, and that’s without the winds” says Steele. “So we’re a ways off any records, but a great week to try out the new winter coat, scarf, mitts and toque you got for Christmas.”
Comments
I wish they would stop this wind chill nonsense. I’m really getting tired of hearing people saying, “It’s minus 35 outside!” when in reality it’s a balmy minus 25.
I hear you faxman – I also get tired of people that think the windchill lowers the temperature. It only changes the rate at which something cools, not the final temperature. If its -20 with a windchill of -50, your car will start like its -20, I promise!
Tell that to your exposed skin! LOL!!
Exactly , the windchill is no different than the humidity or damp in the air, -20 is -20. It might feel colder but it is not. Windchill and humidity may make it feel colder to organic material , but it holds zero effect on steel or inanimate objects.
Bunch a tough guys here.
Ya people like to talk tough about how windchill don’t matter but guess what when you have a REAL job turnin a wrench or runnin a saw out of doors, not sitting in some heated cab or office, windchill matters a lot let me tell you!!! Its easy to say that windchill isnt really cold when you only feel it walking from your car to your office isnt it!!!
“Its easy to say that windchill isnt really cold when you only feel it walking from your car to your office isnt it!!!”
Windchill has no bearing on the temperature; -20 is -20 regardless of how hard the wind is blowing. I think it’s the alleged “tough guys” who feel the need to claim that it’s colder then it really is.
What’s next? A “sunwarm” factor? Let’s stand out in the middle of an open field on a hot day in July and rant about the temperature being 45 degrees.
I don’t think I said anything about being tough. I was trying to dispel the belief a lot of people have that inanimate objects are affected by windchill.
Ps – I work outside a lot thanks ;-)
“Windchill and humidity may make it feel colder to organic material , but it holds zero effect on steel or inanimate objects”
Well it’s a good thing that human beings are inanimate objects made of steel. Oops, wait a minute . . .
The fact of the matter is that windchill IS relevant because the wind will carry heat away from your body more quickly. Thus, while a -20 day may be quite bearable with no wind, throw in a 40 km/h wind and your body will lose its heat much quicker and weather related effects such as frostbite or hypothermia will also set in much quicker. Exposed ears and finger tips don’t lie.
“What’s next? A “sunwarm” factor?”
Actually, such a measure already exists. It’s called the humidex. It makes no difference in PG because it isn’t humid there at all, but in places like Ottawa where I live now, the humidity sure as heck does make a difference in the summer. It’s sort of opposite to wind chill. In that case the wind causes your body to lose heat more quickly, whereas on a hot humid day, your body has a hard time cooling itself effectively and this can result in issues.
I used to think that going for a run in PG on a nice +30 day was a challenge and then I had to get used to running out here in the humidity. BIG DIFFERENCE. Your body temperature stays higher, you are sweating constantly and it’s just plain more difficult to get the oxygen you need to keep going. The air is thick and instead of feeling natural, breathing is labourious. Again, this isn’t make believe. The worst day out here this past summer saw us hit a humidex of +49. There was no running on that day, LOL.
No one walks around in the humid parts of the country during the dog days of august saying “It was 49 degrees today!” They’ll say it was x degrees with a humidex of 49. Why do people out here in the winter insist upon saying it’s going to be -45 degrees tonight when it’s not?
It’s almost as though it makes them feel important the colder they think it is. Very strange.
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