How cold is it if you can see your own breath?

[Maz]

My car doesnt have a temp guage inside like my last one did, I miss knowing the temp outside and could have been able to tell you possibly if it did.

I wonder wherabouts the temperature gauge is on a car.
You'd have to have it far enough away from the engine or any other warm surface to give you an accurate reading.

 

[Canrider]

I recall something a while ago which was similar. There were a couple of blokes who wanted to spend a night outside in the coldest place they could find, which happened to be Siberia.

To demonstrate the temperature ( they were camping in someone's garden), they poured into a mug some freshly boiled water and threw it up into the air.

It fell as frozen crystals.

They were playing it safe. The fact they used hot water means more of it evaporated during its flight than would have if they'd used cold water, so there was less of it (at the end of its flight) to freeze and fall as ice crystals. They also threw it into the air, increasing its effective surface area, so speeding the evaporation process and ensuring the desired result.

 

[JonnyBlade]

It's not about the breath lol My blody fet were absolutely freezing on today's ride

 

[slowmotion]

It depends on what the dew point is for water vapour to condense out of the air. And that depends on the air temperature and humidy and your breath humidity. So no simple answer other than buy an outdoor thermometer.

Sad old geek alert...


...and atmospheric pressure...

.....and breathe.....

 

[XmisterIS]

Sometimes when it's very cold I can't see my breath, but sometimes, on a baking hot summer's day, I'll notice with astonishment that one breath condensed very slightly into a little wisp.