DETROIT – How long does it take to get frostbite? It depends on how cold the “feels like” temperature is.
The National Weather Service has a wind chill chart that calculates “feels like” temperatures based on actual temperature and wind strength.
It includes temperatures ranging from 40 degrees to 45 below zero (measured in Fahrenheit) and wind speeds from 5-60 mph.
The chart also specifies how long it takes to get frostbite based on the wild chill temperature.
Here’s what it says (these are approximate):
- From around 18 below zero to about 32-34 below zero -- 30 minutes.
- From about 32-34 below zero to anywhere from 46-72 below zero -- 10 minutes.
- 48-77 below zero and up (depending) -- 5 minutes.
Obviously, as you can see in the chart below. The way you get to a certain “feels like” temperature matters in the frostbite equation.
For example, if it’s 5 below zero out and the winds are at 30 mph, the wind chill is minus 33, but the frostbite time is 30 minutes. But if it’s 0 degrees out with 55 mph winds, the frostbite time is 10 minutes at 32 degrees below zero.
Similarly, the frostbite time is 5 minutes for a 48 below zero wind chill if the temperature is 10 below and the winds are at 60 mph. But a wind chill of 72 below zero has a 10-minute frostbite time if it’s 45 below zero with 10 mph winds.
You can view the entire chart here: