Wednesday, October 09, 2024

The Truth About Wind Speeds



LABELLE, FL. -- Everyone is looking for the winds speed forecast for the latest Florida hurricane. Just how are those speeds calculated and do they reflect what you might feel on the ground?

Video: Wind and Weather Station at Harney Pond, Lake Okeechobee, Fl

According to weather app Windy.app, "Usually, the wind is measured at about 10 meters (33 feet), which is counted from the Mean Sea Level (MSL). Why do meteorologists place anemometers at this height? Simple: at ground level, there are many obstacles to the wind, including trees, buildings, and other things that prevent making the most accurate measurement. Therefore, wind instruments are usually placed on the roofs of low buildings or weather stations located there.

Wind speeds and forecasts in weather reports are typically measured at 10 meters (33 feet) above the ground and this is the standard meteorological observation height in order to keep measurements uniform throughout the world. But, be aware wind speeds at this altitude do not reflect what you would feel on the ground. For example, at 2 meters (about 6 feet), wind speeds may be only 50–70% of those measured at 10 meters (33 feet) in weather reports.

So, when the television weather man says look out for 50 mile an hour winds this afternoon, if you were to measure them at your ground level, it may only be 25 to 35 miles an hour.

By the way, how often have you hear the weather folks say "knots per hour?" There is no such thing. Speeds can be in "knots" or "miles per hour." A knot is 1.15 miles per hour.

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