FISD Cold Weather Policy

Cold exposure can be uncomfortable, impair performance and even become life threatening. Conditions created by cold exposure include frostbite and hypothermia. Wind chill can make activity uncomfortable and can impair performance when muscle temperature declines. Frostbite is the freezing of superficial tissues, usually of the face, ears, fingers, and toes. Hypothermia, a significant drop in body temperature, occurs with rapid cooling, exhaustion, and energy depletion. The resulting failure to the temperature - regulating mechanisms constitutes a medical emergency. Hypothermia frequently occurs at temperatures above freezing. A wet and windy 30-50 F degree exposure can be as serious as a subzero exposure.

For this reason Frisco ISD is developing a cold weather policy using the wind chill factor instead of the ambient temperature. See website for a wind chill factor chart: www.mste.uiuc.edu/dildine\wind_chill.

Wind speed interacts with ambient temperature to significantly increase body cooling. When the body and clothing are wet (whether from sweat, rain, snow or immersion), the cooling is even more pronounced due to the evaporation of the water held close to the skin by the wet clothing.

Clothing is one of the most important parts of keeping the athlete's body warm. Athletes should dress in layers and try to stay as dry as possible. Layers can be added or removed depending on temperature, activity and wind chill. Athletes should layer themselves with wicking fabric next to the body, followed by lightweight pile or wool layers for warmth. Athletes should use a wind block garment to avoid wind chill during workouts. Heat loss from the head and neck may be as much as 50% of total heat loss, therefore for the head and neck should be covered during cold conditions. Other extremities should be covered at all times to protect from the wind chill.

Cold Exposure:

Breathing of cold air can trigger asthma attack (bronchospasm)
Coughing, chest tightness, burning sensation in throat and nasal passage
Reduction of strength, power, endurance, and aerobic capacity

Wind Chill Factor 33-35 F with precipitation:

35 min. of exposure/20 min. inside gym (may return outside after 20 min.)
Dry clothing (socks, gloves)
Athletes must be dressed in warm-up with extremities covered

Wind Chill Factor 31-32 F (Dry):

45 min. exposure/15 min. inside gym (may return outside after 20 min.)
Athletes must be in warm-ups with extremities covered

Wind Chill Factor 32 F or lower with precipitation:

All practices will be inside
No outside exposure

Wind Chill Factor 30 F (Dry):

30 min. of total exposure to chill factor
15 min. inside
Warm-ups must be worn with all extremities covered at all times

Wind Chill Factor of 25 F or lower:

No outside practices
All work must be inside