I don't understand the wind chill and heat index

[rockymountaindem]

Right now weather.com says it's 9 degrees in Toronto, but the "feels like temperature" (the dumbed-down version of wind chill) is -2. But what is the wind chill, anyway? I assume the 9 degree temp is what it *would* be if the wind weren't blowing, but it's windy! So why does the 9 degree temp even matter. If I go outside and it "feels like" -2, that's the temperature. Is there some magical thermometer that can measure the "real" temperature without the wind? Or is the "real temp" only there for those of us who want to dress in layers in case it suddenly stops blowing outside.

Same thing with the heat index. Look, I know the humidity makes it hotter, but if it's humid, then the "heat index" *is* how it actually feels outside. The "regular" temperature, in that case, is just a hypothetical.

To quote Jerry Seinfeld, "What? Is up? With that?"

[EstimatedProphet]

1. No, the actual temperature is 9

What they're not saying is that it feels like-2 with no wind. wind has an evaporative effect that cools us off because we're warm-blooded, but has no effect on inanimate objects because they don't generate heat and don't have a liquid core to evaporate.

[rockymountaindem]

2. That makes sense

Thanks for clearing that up for me.