−17 °F at a glance
- Celsius
- −27.22 °C
- Exact fraction
- −27 2/9 °C
- Kelvin
- 245.93 K
- Rankine
- 442.67 °R
- Rounded
- −27 °C
- Quick estimate
- −23.5 °C
How to convert −17 °F to Celsius
(−17 − 32) × 5/9 = −49 × 5/9 = −245/9 = −27.22 °C
Subtract 32 first because the two scales put zero in different places, then multiply by 5/9 because a Fahrenheit degree is only 5/9 the size of a Celsius degree. −49 is not a multiple of 9, so the exact answer is the repeating decimal −27 2/9 °C.
Estimate it in your head
Subtract 30 and halve: (−17 − 30) ÷ 2 = −23.5 °C. That is 3.7 degrees high — the shortcut drifts at very hot and very cold temperatures, so use the exact formula there.
What −17 °F feels like
Below zero Fahrenheit, wind matters more than the thermometer. The National Weather Service wind chill index estimates how cold −17 °F feels on exposed skin; once the wind chill reaches about −18 °F (−28 °C), frostbite can set in within 30 minutes.
| Wind | Feels like | In °C | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 mph | −37 °F | −38 °C | Frostbite possible in 30 min or less |
| 20 mph | −44 °F | −42 °C | Frostbite possible in 30 min or less |
| 30 mph | −49 °F | −45 °C | Frostbite possible in 30 min or less |
At −27.22 °C even a home freezer (0 °F) would feel warm. Car batteries lose much of their cranking power, diesel fuel can gel without additives, and pipes in unheated spaces are at real risk.
Temperatures near −17 °F
| Fahrenheit | Celsius | Kelvin |
|---|---|---|
| −22 °F | −30 °C | 243.15 K |
| −21 °F | −29.44 °C | 243.71 K |
| −20 °F | −28.89 °C | 244.26 K |
| −19 °F | −28.33 °C | 244.82 K |
| −18 °F | −27.78 °C | 245.37 K |
| −17 °F | −27.22 °C | 245.93 K |
| −16 °F | −26.67 °C | 246.48 K |
| −15 °F | −26.11 °C | 247.04 K |
| −14 °F | −25.56 °C | 247.59 K |
| −13 °F | −25 °C | 248.15 K |
| −12 °F | −24.44 °C | 248.71 K |
Going the other way: −27 °C in Fahrenheit is −16.6 °F.
Frequently asked questions
What is −17 °F in Celsius?
−17 °F is −27.22 °C: subtract 32 (−49) and multiply by 5/9.
Is −17 °F hot or cold?
−17 °F is severe cold, 17.0 degrees below zero Fahrenheit and well below freezing.
How do you convert −17 °F to Celsius in your head?
Subtract 30 and divide by 2: (−17 − 30) ÷ 2 = −23.5 °C, compared with the exact −27.22 °C.
What is −17 °F in Kelvin?
−17 °F is 245.93 K. Convert to Celsius (−27.22 °C) and add 273.15.