Windschok

Windschok is a term used in some German-language sources to describe the wind-chill effect—the perceived decrease in air temperature on exposed skin that occurs when wind accelerates heat loss from the body. Although related to the widely used wind-chill concept, windschok is not a standard meteorological term in most German-speaking regions; the more common terms are Windkälte or wind chill itself. The phenomenon arises because moving air erodes the warm boundary layer of air immediately around the skin, increasing convective heat transfer. The stronger the wind and the lower the air temperature, the greater the perceived cold.

Weather forecasts express this effect as a wind-chill index, calculated from measured air temperature and wind speed. Different agencies use different formulae and thresholds; the underlying principle is the same: higher wind speeds at a given temperature produce lower wind-chill values and greater risk of cold-related effects. In practical terms, windschok informs clothing guidance, outdoor work planning, and safety advisories. It contributes to estimates of frostbite risk and to general comfort assessments, though it has limitations: it is most applicable to exposed skin in dry environments and does not account for humidity, insulation, or metabolic heat production.

Historically, wind-chill concepts emerged in the mid-20th century, with later refinements and regional variants. In German-language contexts, windschok remains an informal label, while official communication tends to use Windkälte or the international wind-chill index.