CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) – The 22News Storm Team is tracking frigid temperatures and strong winds later Thursday night and lasting into Saturday.

Everyone has been talking about the wind chill and how low those wind chills are going to get. The wind chill is the feel-like temperature on your exposed skin. When we have the wind, the wind pulls the heat away from your body which in turn lowers your body temperature and can lead to conditions like frostbite and hypothermia, if you are exposed to those temperatures and wind for any length of time.

Current Wind Chill Temperatures

The wind chill affects people and animals. It does not affect inanimate objects like your car or your home.

On the National Weather Service Wind Chill Chart, when the air temperature is zero and the wind is 35 mph the wind chill makes it feel like it’s around 27 degrees below zero so if you are exposed to these wind chills for more than 30 minutes frostbite can set in. That’s why it is important to cover up any exposed skin.