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Zack, the blog checker is 8 years old today!  Happy Birthday, buddy!

What Is Wind Chill?

Have you ever gone outside and it felt like it was colder than the weatherman said it was? That is called wind chill. You might hear someone on TV call it the wind chill factor, or the "feels like" temperature.

Lets pretend that the temperature outside is 30 degrees and that the wind is blowing at 20 miles per hour. The wind blowing on your skin makes it feel like it is 17 degrees outside!


You can use a chart like this one to figure out what the wind chill is (you can click on the chart to make it bigger):

Here is how you can use the chart.  Lets pretend again that the temperature is 30 degrees and the wind is blowing at 20 miles per hour.  I put a red circle around the 30 degree temperature (the top row of numbers) and a white circle around the 20 mile per hour wind (the numbers on the side):

Just follow down from the temperature and over from the wind speed and you will reach the wind chill of 17 degrees.  I circled that in purple on the last chart so you can see what it looks like:

The cold wind can hurt your skin.  It can even make your skin freeze if it gets very, very cold outside.  If the wind chill is ever inside of the darker blue or purple colors on the wind chill chart, it is not good to stay outside very long.

If you do have to go outside when it is that cold, you should wear a heavy coat, gloves, and a hat and try to cover up as much of your face as you can, like these kids are doing:

Lets see if you can remember how to use the wind chill chart.  Lets pretend like the temperature is 10 degrees and the wind is blowing at 20 miles per hour.  What is the wind chill?

First, circle the temperature and the wind speed.  I circled the temperature in red and the wind speed in white:

Then follow down the temperature row and over from the wind speed:

So what is the wind chill?  

If you said -9 degrees, you are right!  I circled it in purple on this next chart:

Great job!

Here is a page that you can print out and color if it is okay with your mom or dad.  It shows you all of the things you should wear in very cold weather:

Just like this kid and his dad are doing:

Santa Claus Is Working Hard...

Santa is hard at work delivering toys to the kids in China right now, where it is already night time on Christmas Eve!

Ask your mom or dad if its o.k. to go to this website to watch what Santa is doing right now:  Santa Tracker  (just click on the blue words after you ask mom or dad).

Remember, it is o.k. to watch what Santa is doing in other places, but you have to be asleep in your bed for him to stop at your house tonight!

Santa Claus Is Getting Ready to Fly!

Santa Claus and Rudolph are getting ready to take off on Christmas Eve and bring toys to all of the good girls and boys all over the world!

Ask your mom or dad if its okay for you to go to this website (click on the blue words if it's okay with them):  Santa's Countdown Village!  You can play games and do other fun things while you wait for Santa and his reindeer to take off on Christmas Eve!

I hope that you and your family have a very Merry Christmas!

A Big Snow and Rain Storm is Coming!

A big storm will move into New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas tomorrow (Monday).  The places inside of the blue color will have snow and strong winds.  The places inside of the green color will have heavy rain and some thunderstorms. The places inside of the red color might have severe thunderstorms with hail and strong winds.

If you live in any of those places (you can ask your mom or dad for help if you are not sure how to read the map) please watch out for the weather and stay in a safe place on Monday!

Owlie Skywarn's Weather Book has coloring pages that will help you learn more about staying safe in heavy snow, heavy rain and severe thunderstorms.  You can click on the blue letters after this sentence to look at or print out the pages to color and show your mom or dad (be sure to ask if it is o.k. to print the pages out first):  Owlie Skywarn's Weather Book

How to Stay Safe During Winter Weather!

A flood or a tornado can happen any month of the year.  Snow or other winter storms only happen in the winter (or sometimes early in the spring or late in the fall).  In a winter storm, usually the snow piles up slow so that you have time to get to a safe place, but not every time.

Once the snow has piled up, strong wind may blow it around, making it even more dangerous outside.

If the weatherman decides that a bad winter storm is going to happen, he or she will tell you that you are inside of a Winter Storm Watch or a Winter Storm Warning where you live.  A Watch means that winter weather is on the way soon.  A Warning means that it is about to happen or is already happening.

During a Winter Storm Watch, your mom or dad still have time to go to the store and buy extra food, batteries, firewood and other things you may need during the storm.  

During a Winter Storm Warning, it is best to stay inside and not go outside until the storm is over.  There will be plenty of snow on the ground for you to play in when the storm has moved away and it is more safe to be outside.

If your mom or dad cannot stay inside and have to drive in a winter storm, please tell them to make sure that they have a safety kit ready just in case.  If you want to, you can click on this coloring page and print it out so you can color it and show your mom and dad what they may need before the storm:

When you are home during the storm the power may go off.  Please make sure that your mom and dad have a way to cook and keep your family warm in case the heater does not work.  You can also click on this page and print it out to color it.  Show your mom or dad so that you can get ready for the storm:

You do not have to be scared during a winter storm.  If you just make sure that you and your family are ready before the storm and stay safe, you will be able to have lots of fun when the storm is over!

Parts of this were taken from Owlie Skywarn's Winter Weather Book.  You can click on the blue words (called a link) at the end of this sentence to print out and color all of the pages to show your mom or dad!  Owlie Skywarn's Winter Weather Book

A Snow Storm Is Coming to New Mexico, Kansas, Part of Oklahoma and Texas!

If you live inside of the purple or green colored areas on the map above (ask your mom and dad for help if you need to), you are going to have a strong winter storm on Sunday Night and Monday.


The snow will fall very fast in some of these places, and you will have a lot of snow to play in for Christmas break!


It will also be very windy, so the snow will blow around and make it very hard to drive or be outside.  So, please stay inside while the storm is blowing, then you can go outside and have plenty of time to play in the snow after the storm has moved past you.


Please read Owlie Skywarn's Winter Weather Book so that you can help your mom and dad keep your family safe during this storm.  If it is o.k. with your mom and dad, you can print off the book here to color it and show them what you learned!   Just click this link (click on the blue words) to look at or print the book:  Owlie Skywarn's Winter Weather Book


I hope you stay safe during this storm, and have lots of fun playing in the snow after it is over!