You have heard it many times: It’s not the heat; it’s the humidity. For some of us living in the frozen tundra region right now, either one of those sounds quite nice — for a day or two. Then, we complain about the heat and humidity much like we complain about the cold and the wind.
I guess it is human nature to want what we don’t have and then not want it when we do have it. Fortunately, for us Iowans, in terms of weather, we get it all. And, ultimately, that’s the way most of us like it.
The heat and humidity discussions may hold water in Arizona, but we have winter words that define our challenges here. Those of you who had the courage to get outdoors recently will likely agree. In Iowa winters, it’s not the temperature; it’s the wind chill.
Yes, the wind chill, that meddling measure of how cold it feels outside when the wretched wind combines with the air temperature. The wind increases heat loss from our exposed skin, and it makes the air feel colder than it actually is. And, unlike some of the other weather terms that create unnecessary hype, this is real.
We had an event on Saturday, Jan. 24 appropriately called Fire & Ice. It was a hockey-themed bar crawl in Valley Junction, and it was a lot of fun. Samples of winter-themed drinks were served, and participants were able to experience many of the great establishments on Fifth Street in Valley Junction. Some of our regular participants opted to sit this one out because of the single-digit temperatures. To be honest, we had concerns, too. The end result, though, was quite pleasing. The sun was out. The snow was scarce. And the wind was non-existent. I spent most of the afternoon outside welcoming people at the check-in door. Yes, I was dressed appropriately and was standing near outdoor space heaters, but I was comfortable. Had the wind picked up, it would have been a different story.
Do you ever wonder where and why we started measuring this wind chill thing? The concept of the wind chill factor was apparently developed in the 1940s by Antarctic explorers Paul Allman Siple and Charles Passel. They created the first wind chill formulas based on their observations. The wind chill index was then made widely available by the National Weather Service in the 1970s, and a new formula was implemented in 2001.
Heat and humidity? Those are terms for the desert dwellers. In Iowa, our weather words are cold and wind. And, when we plan properly, we are just fine with that — at least for a few more weeks.
Have a great week, and thanks for reading.
Shane Goodman
President and Publisher
Big Green Umbrella Media
shane@dmcityview.com
515-953-4822, ext. 305 | 
