−21 °F at a glance
- Celsius
- −29.44 °C
- Exact fraction
- −29 4/9 °C
- Kelvin
- 243.71 K
- Rankine
- 438.67 °R
- Rounded
- −29 °C
- Quick estimate
- −25.5 °C
How to convert −21 °F to Celsius
(−21 − 32) × 5/9 = −53 × 5/9 = −265/9 = −29.44 °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. −53 is not a multiple of 9, so the exact answer is the repeating decimal −29 4/9 °C.
Estimate it in your head
Subtract 30 and halve: (−21 − 30) ÷ 2 = −25.5 °C. That is 3.9 degrees high — the shortcut drifts at very hot and very cold temperatures, so use the exact formula there.
What −21 °F feels like
Below zero Fahrenheit, wind matters more than the thermometer. The National Weather Service wind chill index estimates how cold −21 °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 | −42 °F | −41 °C | Frostbite possible in 30 min or less |
| 20 mph | −50 °F | −45 °C | Frostbite possible in 30 min or less |
| 30 mph | −54 °F | −48 °C | Frostbite possible in 30 min or less |
At −29.44 °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 −21 °F
| Fahrenheit | Celsius | Kelvin |
|---|---|---|
| −26 °F | −32.22 °C | 240.93 K |
| −25 °F | −31.67 °C | 241.48 K |
| −24 °F | −31.11 °C | 242.04 K |
| −23 °F | −30.56 °C | 242.59 K |
| −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 |
Going the other way: −29 °C in Fahrenheit is −20.2 °F.
Frequently asked questions
What is −21 °F in Celsius?
−21 °F is −29.44 °C: subtract 32 (−53) and multiply by 5/9.
Is −21 °F hot or cold?
−21 °F is severe cold, 21.0 degrees below zero Fahrenheit and well below freezing.
How do you convert −21 °F to Celsius in your head?
Subtract 30 and divide by 2: (−21 − 30) ÷ 2 = −25.5 °C, compared with the exact −29.44 °C.
What is −21 °F in Kelvin?
−21 °F is 243.71 K. Convert to Celsius (−29.44 °C) and add 273.15.