An arctic air mass has overspread much of the country including the Tar Heel State. After a brief shot at normal temperatures Saturday, we’ll be seeing daily highs and morning lows well below normal readings for a while.

On top of the cold temperatures we’ll be dealing with bitter cold wind chill reading while out celebrating New Year’s Eve. 

Wind chill is the perceived decrease in air temperature felt by the body on exposed skin due to the wind. The effect of wind chill is to increase the rate of heat loss and reduce any warmer objects to the ambient temperature more quickly. Dry air cannot, however, reduce the temperature of these objects below the temperature the air, no matter how great the wind velocity. For us, the physiological response is to generate more heat in order to maintain a surface temperature. The attempt to maintain surface temperature in under windy conditions of faster heat loss results in both the perception of lower temperatures and an actual greater heat loss. In other words, the air “feels” colder than it is because of the chilling effect of the wind on the skin.

As temperatures drop into the low 20s and upper teens for New Year’s Eve wind chill values will be in the teens and single digits. The bottom line is to bundle up, dress in layers and reduce exposure of bare skin to the wind.