Why Does Wind Feel Cool on a Hot Day?

[sakodo]

Hey guys I got a thought question.

When air is moving, it is said that they have a higher kinetic energy than still air. Thus, the temperature of moving air should be higher than still air right? But then sometimes on a hot day why does the wind make us feel cool? I know there's hot wind but there's cool wind as well. so what's the proper explanation? Cheers

 

[rcgldr]

Temperature is related to the average speed of the molecules of air, and the direction of the molecules velocity is random, so no net flow in any specific direction. If the air is moving with repect to some frame of reference, then the velocities have a net component in the direction of flow, but this doesn't require a change in the average speed, and is independent of the temperature.

The wind feels cool to your skin because it increase the rate of evapration of water from your skin, and that evaporation removes heat from your skin.

 

[russ_watters]

Also, on a hot day, if the air isn't hotter than your body temp, it still removes heat by convection and the faster the air is moving the more heat is removed.