Wishfull said:
Ridge Runner I see you have some fairly strong winds heading your way soon....150 kph or so ?
Yeah what ever America gets we get a lesser version about a week later, Last week we saw temps drop to -19*c in places and here today it's 10*c+ with 20kph winds, yet 2 days ago I had 120kph winds, This winter I have tested a lot of cold weather gear and one thing I noticed is that our fingers start to ache when they get cold and that always happens when our finger skin temp is between 16.7*c and 14.7*c and although the backs of your fingers feel very cold due to the lack of flesh it is actually the pads of your fingers that seem the coldest when measured. So if you feel your hands or fingers start to stiffen up or ache then that is the warning sign to cover your hands, this is not always noticeable in strong winds until it's too late, so people need to always be aware of that,
When your fingers start to drop in temp that is the first sign that your body is over riding your blood flow and restricting the blood flow in order to keep blood supplies for vital organs being the main body and the Head, The old saying of "If you have cold feet put on a hat" is very true because the body looses about 20% of its heat through the top of your head, Keep your bodies Core and head warm and your fingers and toes will stay warmer longer. cold fingers and toes are the first sign that your body is not as warm as it should be and telling you that your clothing is not up to scratch for the conditions.
These large temp swings we have seen this past week or so is why so many people die over here because the go out dressed for the 10* warmer days and get caught out, I have seen all 4 seasons in one day and If you take that -19* and add on the 150kph wind then you end up with a wind chill of -40.8*c, And here is what can happen,
Quote:-
-40C to -47C (-40F to -52.6F): High Risk of Frostbite of Exposed Skin in 5 to 10 Minutes (Even Less if Winds Are Sustained Over 50km/h (31 miles/h)
Adequate protection from the elements is absolutely essential at this point as the risk of frostbite as well as hypothermia are imminent if exposure is prolonged without adequate protection and shelter. Outdoor activities should be engaged in at least pairs if not groups in order to check each other's faces for possible signs of frostbite.