Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Baby it's Cold Outside


Brrr, is it winter already? Recently my area (New England) fell into a cold spell. The first thin I reached for was a sweater (the next was hot cocoa.) 

Why does it always feel worse when it's windy out?

Wind chill (or wind chill factor) is the air temperature we feel on our exposed skin because of the wind blowing across it. You might notice when watching the weather that the wind chill temperature is always lower than the air temperature.

One of the ways our bodies loose heat is through "convection." The faster the wind speed, the more readily the skin/surface cools.

NOAA's National Weather service has a chart that helps you see this better. Also on this page is a neat little calculator that shows you what the temperature feels like on a given day based on wind speed:

Note: Wet clothing and the duration of a person's exposure to wind also affect the felt air temperature. The wind chill formulas do not take account of the variation of clothing worn and how wet or dry a person is. The typical assumption is that a person will be properly dressed and dry.

Since hypothermia is no joke, I wanted to make sure everyone takes precautions this year.

What is hypothermia?
Hypothermia is a condition in which a person's body temperature has dropped significantly below normal. This occurs from inadequate protection against exposure to cold temperatures. The very young and elderly are the most susceptible to developing hypothermia when exposed to cold temperatures.

The risk and extent of hypothermia is directly influenced by presence of wet clothing, contact with metals, wind-chill, and extent of temperature gradient between the body and its surroundings. Vulnerability is increased when circulation is impaired by cardiovascular disease, alcohol intake, exhaustion, and/or hunger.

What are the symptoms of hypothermia?
  • Uncontrolled shivering
  • Slow or unclear speech
  • Feeling extremely tired
  • Stumbling when attempting to walk
  • Confusion (person cannot think clearly)
  • Semi-consciousness or unconsciousness


What should I do if someone has hypothermia?
  • If a person becomes unconscious, get medical help immediately. If cardiac arrest (heart attack) has occurred, have someone call for medical assistance and then apply CPR.
  • WARNING: Do not warm the person too fast.
  • Bring the person indoors or to a dry place protected from the wind.
  • Remove wet clothing and cover the person with dry blankets. Make sure to cover the head, hands, and feet.
  • Put the person in a cot or bed next to a warm -- not hot -- heater.
  • Lie under the covers next to the person to transfer your own body heat. If possible, have someone else lie on the other side.
  • Give the person warm -- not hot -- broth or soup. Do not give alcohol to drink.
  • Wrap an infant inside your own clothing against your skin.


How can I prevent hypothermia?
  • Wear warm, multi-layered clothing with good hand and feet protection (avoid overly constricting wrist bands, socks, and shoes).
  • Wear warm headgear. This is particularly important since significant heat is lost through an unprotected head.
  • If possible, change into dry clothes whenever clothing becomes wet.
  • Find appropriate shelter to stay warm. 


(Please note: If left untreated, a person can develop early frostbite, or frostnip; superficialfrostbite; or deep frostbite, or freezing. Frostbite usually affects the nose, ears, upper cheeks, hands and feet.)

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