Re: Wind chills
- To: s*@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU
- Subject: Re: [SG] Wind chills
- From: M* D* S*
- Date: Fri, 5 Jan 2001 08:22:44 EST
Bobbi, et al:
I thought I'd come out of the shadows to offer a comment on this subject from
the perspective of a Professor Emeritus (Rutgers) of meteorology.
The wind chill factor is mostly bogus. It was a number determined by the
exposure of bare skin to wind under low temperature conditions. Since the
wind is not a 'conservative' factor, varying greatly from minute to minute,
the wind chill can range from -30F to +10F, depending on when the wind
measurement was made, over a very short period of time. All it is really
indicating is that if it is windy we will feel colder! Most can agree with
that.
With regard to plants, we know that desiccation is affected by many factors
including wind speed. So the greater the wind speed the more likely a plant
will lose moisture. I agree, however, that it would be a stretch to apply
'wind chill' to plants.
Mark Woodstock, NY
Where the soil temperature at 4" has risen, over the last week, from 26F to
32F under a persistent foot of snow cover.
