風寒指數 / Wind Chill Factor

Picture 图: Wind Chill Factor風寒指數
(Photo Credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_chill )

有朋友從欧洲到訪,放了工在酒店接他們到市中吃晚飯。他們在电視和新聞,都知道加拿大冬天寒冷,但卻從未有想到那寒風刺骨的滋味。他們離開欧洲時是零上十五度,在這裏下飛机是零下二十度,再加上時速二十公里的大風,用「風寒指數」一計,皮膚體溫冷卻作用,就等於降低至零下三十度!!但我在這边習慣了,卻不是大驚小怪,凍是凍了點,就穿多几層暖內衣,戴上手套、頸巾、帽子,保護手指、口鼻、頭頂就是了。很多時冬天出外跑步、滑雪、溜冰,出了一身子汗,還要脫衣服取涼呢。人要在大自然的逆境生存,就是要適应環境的了。

This evening, I met some friends from Europe at their hotel and we went out for supper together. Prior to departure, they had learnt from TV broadcast and the news that Canadian winter would be very cold. But they had never heard of the Wind Chill Factor. So, when the left Europe, it was a balmy +15 degrees and when they got off the plane, the outside temperature was a cool -20 degrees. But they didn't realize that with a wind blowing at 20 km/h, the chilling effect on exposed skin is equivalent to -30 degrees !! I have lived here long enough, so it's no big deal. When it gets cold, I put on a few more layers of warm undies, put on my pair of gloves/mittens, a scarf, and a warm hat to protect my fingies, mouth and neck and the top of my head and off I go. When I am out running, skiing, or skating, I often work up a sweat and have to take off some clothes to cool off. In order to survive in adverse weather conditions, one does not have a choice but to adapt.