−4 °F at a glance
- Celsius
- −20 °C
- Exact fraction
- −20 °C
- Kelvin
- 253.15 K
- Rankine
- 455.67 °R
- Rounded
- −20 °C
- Quick estimate
- −17 °C
How to convert −4 °F to Celsius
(−4 − 32) × 5/9 = −36 × 5/9 = −180/9 = −20 °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. Here −36 divides evenly by 9, so the answer is a whole number.
Estimate it in your head
Subtract 30 and halve: (−4 − 30) ÷ 2 = −17 °C. That is 3 degrees high, close enough to decide what to wear.
What −4 °F feels like
Below zero Fahrenheit, wind matters more than the thermometer. The National Weather Service wind chill index estimates how cold −4 °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 | −21 °F | −29 °C | Frostbite possible in 30 min or less |
| 20 mph | −27 °F | −33 °C | Frostbite possible in 30 min or less |
| 30 mph | −31 °F | −35 °C | Frostbite possible in 30 min or less |
At −20 °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 −4 °F
| Fahrenheit | Celsius | Kelvin |
|---|---|---|
| −9 °F | −22.78 °C | 250.37 K |
| −8 °F | −22.22 °C | 250.93 K |
| −7 °F | −21.67 °C | 251.48 K |
| −6 °F | −21.11 °C | 252.04 K |
| −5 °F | −20.56 °C | 252.59 K |
| −4 °F | −20 °C | 253.15 K |
| −3 °F | −19.44 °C | 253.71 K |
| −2 °F | −18.89 °C | 254.26 K |
| −1 °F | −18.33 °C | 254.82 K |
| 0 °F | −17.78 °C | 255.37 K |
| 1 °F | −17.22 °C | 255.93 K |
Going the other way: −20 °C in Fahrenheit is −4 °F.
Frequently asked questions
What is −4 °F in Celsius?
−4 °F is −20 °C: subtract 32 (−36) and multiply by 5/9.
Is −4 °F hot or cold?
−4 °F is severe cold, 4.0 degrees below zero Fahrenheit and well below freezing.
How do you convert −4 °F to Celsius in your head?
Subtract 30 and divide by 2: (−4 − 30) ÷ 2 = −17 °C, compared with the exact −20 °C.
What is −4 °F in Kelvin?
−4 °F is 253.15 K. Convert to Celsius (−20 °C) and add 273.15.