Canada’s wind chill index is based on the loss of heat from the face. It was developed using human volunteers, computer technology, and a better understanding of how skin loses heat. The index is expressed in temperature-like units which are easier for everyone to understand.
The best way to understand wind chill is to think of it as a feeling. The new wind chill index represents how your skin will feel at a given temperature in a calm day. For instance, if the outside air temperature is -5 degrees Celsius and the wind chill is -25, your face will feel as cold as it would at -25 degrees Celsius on a calm day.
What to do for wind chill:
| Wind Chill | Health Concern | What to do |
| 0 to -9 | Slight discomfort | Dress warmly |
| -10 to -24 | Uncomfortable, bare skin feels cold, risk of hypothermia | Dress in layers, wear a hat, mitts & scarf, keep active |
| -25 to -44 | Skin may freeze, Risk of hypothermia | Check face, fingers, toes, ears, & nose for numbness or whiteness, dress in layers, cover bare skin, wear a hat, mitts & scarf, keep active |
| -45 to -59 | Bare skin may freeze in minutes | Check face, fingers, toes, ears, & nose for numbness or whiteness, dress in layers, cover bare skin, wear a hat, mitts & scarf, keep active |
| -60 and colder | Bare skin may freeze in less than 2 minutes | It is dangerous! Stay indoors |