ZCZC CAEPNSCHS
TTAA00 KCHS DDHHMM
GAZ087-088-099>101-114>119-137>141-SCZ040-042>045-047>051-081000-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
500 AM EST THU DEC 7 2006

...WIND CHILL EFFECTS AND THEIR IMPACTS...

DURING THE WINTER...YOU WILL OFTEN HEAR ABOUT THE WIND CHILL FACTOR.
WIND CHILL IS BASED ON THE RATE OF HEAT LOSS FROM EXPOSED SKIN CAUSED
BY THE COMBINED EFFECTS OF WIND AND COLD TEMPERATURES. THIS MAKES
YOUR BODY FEEL COLDER THAN THE ACTUAL TEMPERATURE READING. IT IS
SIMILAR TO THE WAY YOUR BODY FEELS WHEN YOU GET OUT OF THE POOL OR
THE OCEAN IN THE SUMMER TIME. IN WINTER...IT CAN BE EXTREMELY
DANGEROUS. FOR EXAMPLE WHEN THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE IS 25 DEGREES AND
THE WIND SPEED IS 20 MILES AN HOUR...THE WIND CHILL FACTOR MAKES IT
FEEL LIKE 4 DEGREES BELOW ZERO.

SOME OF THE DANGERS FROM PROLONGED EXPOSURE TO VERY COLD
TEMPERATURES INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:

FROSTBITE IS DAMAGE TO BODY TISSUE CAUSED BY THAT TISSUE BEING
FROZEN. FROSTBITE CAUSES A LOSS OF FEELING AND A WHITE OR PALE
APPEARANCE IN EXTREMITIES SUCH AS FINGERS...TOES...EAR LOBES OR THE
TIP OF YOUR NOSE.

HYPOTHERMIA IS THE EXTREME LOWERING OF THE BODY TEMPERATURE.
WARNING SIGNS OF HYPOTHERMIA INCLUDE UNCONTROLLABLE SHIVERING...
MEMORY LOSS...DIS-ORIENTATION...INCOHERENCE...DROWSINESS...AND
APPARENT EXHAUSTION.  INFANTS AND THE ELDERLY ARE THE MOST
SUSCEPTIBLE TO EXTREME COLD.

IN SOUTHEAST GEORGIA AND SOUTH COASTAL SOUTH CAROLINA...THE
FOLLOWING CRITERIA IS USED FOR ISSUING ADVISORIES AND WARNINGS:

A WIND CHILL ADVISORY IS ISSUED WHENEVER THE WIND CHILL FACTOR IS
EXPECTED TO DROP TO ZERO TO 14 DEGREES BELOW ZERO.

A WIND CHILL WARNING IS ISSUED WHENEVER THE WIND CHILL FACTOR DROPS
TO OR IS EXPECTED TO DROP TO 15 DEGREES BELOW ZERO OR LOWER.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WINTER WEATHER...CONTACT THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE OR YOUR LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY.

$$

JH