Heat transfer from a fine wire to air has been experimentally investigated. High accuracy measurements, where both the air temperature and wire temperature have been varied systematically and independently have made it possible to map the behavior of the heat transfer process for different velocities, air temperatures, and wire temperatures. Based on these results a compensation method is proposed which makes it possible to temperature compensate hot wires of large aspect ratio and at low Reynolds numbers for anemometry measurements with velocity calibration only at one air temperature.