Wind Speed from Wind Chill and Temperature
The wind speed that produces a target or reported wind chill at a known air temperature.
Example
You enter
- Ambient temp (F, <= 50) 5
- Target / reported wind chill (°F) -19
You get
- Wind speed 29.8 mph
Details, formula, and sources
w = [ (WC - 35.74 - 0.6215 T) / (0.4275 T - 35.75) ]^(1/0.16) from the NWS 2001 formula. At 5 F air, a -19 F wind chill implies about a 30 mph wind. Valid for T <= 50 F and w >= 3 mph (below 3 mph the ambient temperature governs). A felt-temperature reference; the NWS advisory governs.
w = [ (WC - 35.74 - 0.6215 T) / (0.4275 T - 35.75) ]^(1/0.16), the inverse of the NWS 2001 wind chill WC = 35.74 + 0.6215 T - 35.75 w^0.16 + 0.4275 T w^0.16 (T in F). Valid for T <= 50 F and w >= 3 mph.
NWS Wind Chill Temperature Index, 2001 revision, solved for the wind speed.
Free at weather.gov/safety/cold-wind-chill.
Estimate. AHJ and licensed professional govern.
Field names used by the API: T_F, target_wc_F, wind_mph
- Domain valid for T <= 50 F and w >= 3 mph; below 3 mph the ambient temperature governsNWS 2001 formula
- Felt-temperature index wind chill is a felt-temperature index for exposed skin, not a measured temperatureNWS Wind Chill Chart