The featured map presents an IEM analysis of the lowest wind chill temperature reported so far this month. In the wake of our most recent blizzard storm system, very cold air has frequented a good portion of the country pushing wind chill values below zero for places like Texas. Some of the coldest wind chills ever recorded were present for some locations in Oklahoma and Kansas. Values below -50 F were observed as well. The good news is that our immediate future has a slight warm up with temperatures close to freezing!

Voting:
Good = 28
Bad = 5

Tags:   windchill  

Very cold temperatures and a bit of wind have conspired over night to bring bitterly cold wind chills to Iowa this Friday. The featured chart presents the reported wind chill against the air temperature during hours which the wind speed was measurable. Histograms of each are presented at the side and top. -20°F is roughly an observed threshold of wind chill where frequencies start declining at colder temperatures. Of course, the most extreme values are even more rare and often do not happen every year.

Voting:
Good = 44
Bad = 27

Tags:   windchill   winter  

A bitter north west wind is blowing this morning and with temperatures in the single digits, wind chills are well into the negative range. The featured chart presents the number of hours per winter season that wind chills values below -20F were reported at the Des Moines and Sioux Falls airport. During every year, except one, Sioux Falls has had more hours below -20 than Des Moines. The chart does show that these bitter cold temperatures have been less common in the past ten years than the previous 30. The brutal winters of 1977 and 1978 show up prominently on the chart.

Voting:
Good = 15
Bad = 4

Tags:   windchill  

Wind Chill values are again running well below zero this morning with a good portion of the state under a wind chill advisory. How often are wind chill values this cold? The featured table displays the number of hours exceeding certain temperature thresholds. This winter (shown as 2008) has seen 15 hours of sub -30F, which is at the simple historical average of 15 based on data back to 1973. The brutal winters of 1978 and 1983 are shown as well for comparison.

Voting:
Good = 20
Bad = 6

Tags:   windchill   winter