What to wear in 50 degree weather (10 °C): a long-sleeve top, a sweater or fleece, a jacket that blocks the wind, long pants and closed shoes. Check the wind before you choose the jacket. With the US National Weather Service wind chill formula, 50 °F (10 °C) in a 20 mph (32 km/h) wind gives a wind chill of 44 °F (6.4 °C). Wind chill describes heat loss from exposed skin. In that wind, we suggest a warmer coat that blocks it.
This guide gives the wind chill at 50 °F (10 °C) for wind from 5 mph (8 km/h) to 30 mph (48 km/h), calculated with the National Weather Service formula. Then one table turns each kind of 50 degree day into an outfit.
Wind makes 50 degrees feel like the low 40s
Fifty degrees is the highest temperature for which the US National Weather Service calculates a wind chill. The National Weather Service defines wind chill only for temperatures at or below 50 °F (10 °C) and wind speeds above 3 mph (4.8 km/h). Wind chill is based on how fast exposed skin loses heat in wind and cold.
We used the National Weather Service formula with an air temperature of 50 °F (10 °C) and wind speeds of 5 mph (8 km/h) to 30 mph (48 km/h). The km/h values are rounded. Wind chill describes exposed skin, so your own comfort can differ with your clothes and your activity. The table and the line chart show how the wind chill at 50 °F (10 °C) drops from 48 °F (9.0 °C) to 42 °F (5.6 °C) as the wind rises:
| Wind at 50 °F (10 °C) | Wind chill |
|---|---|
| 3 mph (4.8 km/h) or less | Not defined by the National Weather Service formula |
| Light breeze, 5 mph (8 km/h) | 48 °F (9.0 °C) |
| Breezy, 10 mph (16 km/h) | 46 °F (7.8 °C) |
| Windy, 15 mph (24 km/h) | 45 °F (7.0 °C) |
| Very windy, 20 mph (32 km/h) | 44 °F (6.4 °C) |
| Strong wind, 25 mph (40 km/h) | 43 °F (6.0 °C) |
| Very strong wind, 30 mph (48 km/h) | 42 °F (5.6 °C) |
What to wear in 50 degree weather, condition by condition
For 50 °F (10 °C), we suggest layers you can take off, long pants and closed shoes, with a warmer coat that blocks the wind in strong wind and a water-resistant layer when rain is likely. The outfits in the table are our suggestions, and the wind chill values come from the National Weather Service formula.
Wearton’s What to wear today tool sorts the “feels like” temperature into three bands. At 10 °C (50 °F) or less it is “cold”: a warm knit and a coat, and closed shoes. Above 10 °C (50 °F) and up to 18 °C (64 °F) it is “mild”: a light layer you can take off, and trousers or jeans. Above 18 °C (64 °F) it is “warm”. Fifty degrees (10 °C) is exactly the line between the cold and the mild band. The tool’s “feels like” adds the effect of wind, humidity and sun, so it can differ from the wind chill in the table: check the tool for your city to see which band applies today.
| Your 50 °F (10 °C) day | Wind chill | What to wear |
|---|---|---|
| Calm and sunny | Not defined (wind 3 mph (4.8 km/h) or less) | Long-sleeve top, a sweater or fleece, a light jacket you can take off when the sun warms you, jeans or pants, closed shoes |
| Calm and cloudy | Not defined (wind 3 mph (4.8 km/h) or less) | Long-sleeve top, a warm sweater, a jacket or light coat you keep on, jeans or pants, closed shoes |
| Breezy, 10 mph (16 km/h) | 46 °F (7.8 °C) | A sweater or fleece and a jacket that blocks the wind, long pants, closed shoes |
| Very windy, 20 mph (32 km/h) | 44 °F (6.4 °C) | Cold-day clothes: a warm knit, a coat that blocks the wind, long pants rather than a skirt, a scarf |
| Very strong wind, 30 mph (48 km/h) | 42 °F (5.6 °C) | A warm knit, a warm coat, a scarf, and gloves if your hands get cold |
| Rain likely | Depends on the wind: see the rows above | A water-resistant jacket or trench coat over your warm layer. Leave suede shoes at home |
Wearton’s tool uses the same lines for wind and rain. At 20 km/h (12 mph) of wind or more, it says that skirts will fly and to wear trousers. When the chance of rain is 40% or more, it says to leave the suede at home.
How to layer for a 50 degree day
Three layers let you follow the changes of a 50 degree day, from morning to afternoon and from sun to wind. If 50 °F (10 °C) is the day’s high, the morning and the evening of the same day can be colder. Check the hourly forecast for the hours you will be outside, and dress for those hours.
- Start with a long-sleeve top, such as a cotton shirt or a thin merino top.
- Add a warm layer: a sweater, a fleece or a thick cardigan.
- Choose the top layer by the wind and the rain: a denim or light jacket on a calm day, a jacket or coat that blocks the wind when it is breezy, a water-resistant one when rain is likely.
- Wear jeans or long pants.
- Wear closed shoes: sneakers, loafers or ankle boots. No suede when rain is likely.
- Take a scarf on a windy day. Wind chill is about exposed skin, and a scarf covers the neck.
Is 50 degrees sweater weather?
Yes, 50 degrees is sweater weather: a medium-weight sweater or a fleece over a long-sleeve top, with a jacket on top. On a calm, sunny afternoon, a thinner knit can be enough. For windy 50 °F (10 °C) weather, we suggest a jacket that blocks the wind over your sweater, and a thicker knit if you will be outside for a long time.
Do you need a coat in 50 degree weather?
For 50 degree weather, we suggest a light jacket that blocks the wind for a short time outside on a calm day. Choose a warmer coat when the wind is strong, or when you will stand or sit outside for hours, for example at a game or a market. In a 20 mph (32 km/h) wind, the National Weather Service formula gives a wind chill of 44 °F (6.4 °C).
Should you wear pants or shorts in 50 degree weather?
We suggest long pants or jeans for 50 degree weather. Wind chill describes heat loss from exposed skin, and at 50 °F (10 °C) any wind above 3 mph (4.8 km/h) gives a wind chill below the air temperature. Wearton’s tool says to wear trousers when the wind reaches 20 km/h (12 mph). If you wear a skirt or a dress, add tights and boots.
What is 50 degrees Fahrenheit in Celsius?
Fifty degrees Fahrenheit is exactly 10 degrees Celsius. To convert Fahrenheit to Celsius, subtract 32 and multiply by 5/9: (50 − 32) × 5/9 = 10. So 50 °F (10 °C) is the upper limit of the “cold” band in Wearton’s What to wear today tool.
What to do next
- Check the “feels like” temperature for your city in the What to wear today tool. It also gives tips for UV, wind and rain, and needs no sign-up. Its advice for tomorrow uses the feels-like temperature at 1 pm local time, so check the hourly forecast for other hours.
- Dress for the wind, not only for the air temperature.
- For warmer days, read what to wear in 60 degree weather.
The Wearton web app goes one step further. Its Today page shows an outfit of the day made from the clothes you own, and leaves suede shoes and suede coats out when the chance of rain is 40% or more. After a day out, it asks how you felt, and moves your personal “feels like” temperature up or down.
You know your colors. Now see which of your clothes match them, and what to wear today.