Wind Chill CalculatorFree online other calculator — instant results, no sign-up
Feels-like temperature in wind.
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About the Wind Chill Calculator
The Wind Chill Calculator estimates how cold the air feels on exposed human skin by factoring in wind speed alongside ambient temperature. Outdoor workers, winter sports enthusiasts, and commuters use it to assess thermal discomfort and cold weather risk. It applies the standard metric Joint Action Group for Temperature Indices (JAG/TI) wind chill formula.
- Temperature
- Ambient air temperature measured in degrees Celsius (°C), typically at or below 10 °C.
- Wind speed
- Sustained wind velocity measured in kilometers per hour (km/h), typically 5 km/h or higher.
Formula and method
Wind chill = 13.12 + 0.6215 × t − 11.37 × w^0.16 + 0.3965 × t × w^0.16
- tAir temperature in degrees Celsius (°C)
- wWind speed in kilometers per hour (km/h)
The calculator raises the wind speed in km/h to the power of 0.16. It then computes the metric wind chill index using the empirical polynomial constants and rounds the resulting feels-like temperature to one decimal place.
Worked example
These are the calculator's starting values and the results it actually produces for them.
Inputs
- Temperature-5 °C
- Wind speed20 km/h
Results
- Wind chill-11.6 °C
How to use the Wind Chill Calculator
- 1Raise the wind speed (km/h) to the power of 0.16.
- 2Multiply the temperature by 0.6215 and add 13.12.
- 3Subtract 11.37 multiplied by the wind speed term, then add 0.3965 multiplied by temperature and the wind speed term.
- 4Round the final perceived temperature value to one decimal place in °C.
Reading your result
The result represents the perceived temperature in degrees Celsius (°C). A wind chill substantially lower than the actual air temperature indicates accelerated heat loss from bare skin, signaling a greater risk of frostbite and hypothermia during outdoor exposure.
Limitations
The equation is designed specifically for cold conditions (temperatures at or below 10 °C and wind speeds above 4.8 km/h); applying it to warm or calm conditions produces inaccurate estimates. It also does not account for direct sunlight, humidity, wet clothing, or personal thermal insulation.
Common questions
Can wind chill cause an inanimate object to drop below the actual air temperature?+
No. Wind chill accelerates the rate of cooling toward the ambient air temperature by stripping away the insulating boundary layer of air, but an object cannot cool below the actual air temperature through wind alone.
Why does the formula use wind speed to the power of 0.16?+
The exponent 0.16 is derived from empirical human skin heat transfer models, reflecting that incremental increases in wind speed have a diminishing effect on convective heat loss at higher velocities.
What happens if I enter temperatures above 10 °C?+
The calculator will still execute the mathematical formula, but the result loses meteorological validity because the wind chill index is calibrated only for cold temperatures where wind significantly accelerates convective cooling.
Does the calculator save my information?+
Calculations run in your browser. While signed in, inputs and results are automatically recorded in account history; saving a result creates a separate saved record.
Further reading
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Results are estimates for informational purposes and are not financial, medical or legal advice.