Portage, Wisconsin

... The wind chill index... part 2...

... Wisconsin winter awareness week is November 09-13...

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Exposure to cold... biting air for long periods of time is dangerous
and such cold can have a substantial impact on humans.

The wind is very efficient in taking heat away from the human
body... and stronger winds can remove even more heat from the body.
When the temperature of exposed skin drops to the freezing mark of
32 degrees... .frostbite sets in.

Exposed skin can sustain frostbite under these conditions...

     -within 30 minutes when wind chills are -18 or colder...
     -within 10 minutes when wind chills are -32 or colder...
     -within 5 minutes when wind chills are -48 or colder...

Wear hats and gloves or mittens to minimize the chances of
frostbite. Cover your face with a hooded coat or use a scarf.

Although documentation is not complete... there may be at least a
dozen to two dozen frostbite cases in Wisconsin each winter. Even
more frostbite cases can occur in major outbreaks of windy and
bitter cold conditions.

The parts of the body that usually experience frostbite are The
Finger tips and toes... as well as the tip of the nose and the ear
lobes.

Minimizing your time outdoors during bitter cold and windy
situations will prevent frostbite... and covering exposed flesh will
obviously help.

Check on the latest weather forecasts before going outdoors - do not
be caught off-guard.

To bring attention to dangerous periods of extreme cold and windy
conditions... the National Weather Service offices that service
Wisconsin issue wind chill advisories and wind chill warnings.

... ... ... Wind Chill Advisory and warning thresholds... ... ...

     -Roughly... the northern half of Wisconsin will have an
        advisory threshold of -25 and a warning threshold of -35.
        However... some of the northwest counties have an advisory
        threshold of -25 and a warning threshold of -40.

     -Roughly... the southern half of Wisconsin will have an
       advisory threshold of -20 and a warning threshold of -35.

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For more information on the wind chill index... and to find the wind
chill chart... visit...

Http://www.NWS.NOAA.Gov/om/winter /all lower case/
http://www.Crh.NOAA.Gov/mkx/?N=winter-wx-awareness /all lower case/