wind-chill factor

American  

noun

1. Meteorology. a measure of the effect of wind speed on the way the exposed human body feels the actual temperature, producing the apparent temperature or wind chill.

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wind-chill factor Scientific  

1. The temperature of windless air that would have the same effect on exposed human skin as a particular combination of wind speed and air temperature. As the wind blows faster, heat is lost more quickly from exposed skin, making a person feel colder even though the air temperature remains the same.

2. Also called chill factor

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Example Sentences

In late December against the New York Jets, the wind-chill factor was 14 degrees.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 14, 2026

A lot of that yardage was against a Giants defense that played the first half in 70-degree heat, a stark contrast to the wind-chill factor of 10 in New York’s last game.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 5, 2022

This was a night that showed prospective playoff opponents what playing at Lambeau in January will be like, with a temperature of 11 degrees and a wind-chill factor of 1 degree at kickoff.

From Washington Post • Jan. 2, 2022

The wind blew at 21 to 32 miles an hour throughout, with gusts on the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge at the start reaching 58 miles per hour, with a wind-chill factor of 18 degrees.

From Salon • Oct. 18, 2018

It will get worse this evening, with gusts picking up and the wind-chill factor making it feel like 15 degrees in time for your commute home.

From New York Times • Jan. 4, 2016