An airflow sensor for a heat sink has a substantially flat base portion and a deformable upper portion electrically coupled to the base portion that contacts a conductive strip. As airflow increases, the deformable upper portion deforms and moves away from the source of airflow, which moves the point of contact between the deformable upper portion and the conductive strip farther away from the source of the airflow. The difference in the point of contact is measured, and is used to characterize the airflow sensor for different airflows. Data from the airflow sensor can then be logged during system operation. When needed, the data from the airflow sensor can be read from the log and converted to airflow using the airflow sensor characterization data. In this manner the airflow through a heat sink may be dynamically measured, allowing analysis and correlation between system events and airflow through the heat sink.