The collection of articles about wind forecasting
Read the collection of articles about wind on the Windy.app blog from the experts of the leading pro weather forecast app for wind sports and outdoors recognized by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) as the best in its category.
Explore the main types of wind
Winds are divided into two large types: winds of global importance (trade winds and monsoon) and local winds. The second group includes many types of winds, among which we can distinguish breezes, bora, mistral and others. In the mountains, special winds blow. And then there are such concepts as jet stream and wind gusts. Let's deal with all these types in this lesson.
How to read wind forecast
The wind forecast is one of the several main types of weather forecasts, which is necessary for those who are engaged in various wind sports and outdoor activities. More: it is impossible to practice some of them as kitesurfing or sailing without this weather element.
What is the wind speed and how do we measure it
Wind speed or wind velocity is one of three major characteristics of air movement on par with wind direction and wind gusts. In this article, we will understand what wind speed is and how it is measured. It will help you better forecast weather and use wind correctly for sports that are impossible without this weather phenomenon.
Learn to measure wind speed and power conditions by the Beaufort scale
So you have been planning to try yachting for too long already, and there is no way to delay it anymore. If you already have a yacht, good for you. But what do all these “fresh gale”, “moderate breeze”, and “violent storm” mean? These terms were created and described by navy officer Beaufort in a special scale. In this article, we’re going to learn about its appliance.
The Saffir-Simpson Wind scale — the key to understanding the power of hurricanes
Every year from early June to the end of November, a series of tropical cyclones occur in the Western Hemisphere. They are called "Hurricane Season". They come one after another from the Atlantic Ocean toward the coast of the United States and other countries, often reaching not only coastal but also continental areas. As with other meteorological phenomena, different scales are used to determine hurricane strength, the most common of which is the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale (SSHWS).
Learn to read the Enhanced Fujita scale for rating tornado intensity
In North America, where tornadoes occur as regularly as heat waves, heavy rains, or snowfalls, the Enhanced Fujita scale is used to estimate their intensity. In this article, we’ll explain what this scale is about, how to read it, and where to find the tornado forecast to prepare for this phenomenon of severe weather.
How to read wind direction. Even if it sounds too simple
If the wind is the movement of air, this movement always has some direction. The question is: Where exactly the air is moving in man-made coordinate systems. In particular, it is important for different sports and outdoor activities, where the wind determines how your active recreation will go. For example, in kite- and windsurfing there is a "working wind direction" for the best wind on the spot. Let's understand what is the direction of the wind and how to read it in this article.
Where wind gusts come from
A gust is a short strengthening of an already existing wind. Any of winds carries gusts: some have strong gusts, while others have very weak gusts. Most often, a rush occurs when a stream meets an obstacle on its way: a building, a structure, mountains. The flow seems to envelop obstacles, slows down. Learn more what is wind gusts and how do they occur.
How to read Wind Chill chart to stay comfortable outdoors
For sports and outdoor activities we usually consider the wind chill in order to dress correctly for the different weather. In this article, we’ll analyze why the temperature on the thermometer often differs from your feelings and how to read Wind Chill Chart in order to stay comfortable outdoors in any weather and avoid hypothermia and frostbite.
How to read wind rose
The wind rose is a diagram of the wind, or a picture of wind changes. It is indispensable to use for water sports that require strong wind or waves: kite-, wind- and regular surfing, sailing, paragliding. It’s also necessary for activities wind may ruin: fishing, cycling, and others. Let's learn more about what is wind rose and how to read it.
Learn to read wind barbs — wind speed and direction symbols on the weather maps
Wind barbs are symbols on the map that show wind direction and speed at some specified location. It is a familiar format for displaying the wind to all meteorogists, yachtmen and others. That's how it were drawn on the synoptic maps before, and so many people are used to seeing it. Now you can see wind barbs on digital maps, too.
How to read a wind map like an expert
The wind map is one of the three most common types of weather map that shows what wind is blowing around the world (two other maps / weather elements are air temperature and precipitation). A modern wind map is a digital interactive (live) map you can get on some website or rather in a weather application for your smartphone and tablet.
How to use isobar map for wind forecasting
The pressure difference is the only thing speeding wind up. The quicker the pressure changes from spot to spot, the higher the wind speed is. All the other forces, such as friction, only reduce wind speed and/or change its direction. Points with the same atmospheric pressure on the map are connected with lines — isobars. They'll help you better forecast wind speed and direction.
What are wind alerts and how to use them for your sport or outdoor activity
To find out in advance about wind speed increase, changing wind direction or other wind parameters, you may need wind alerts. In general, wind alerts are messages about wind increase created by different meteorological services and emergency departments of the cities. As a rule, these are urgent short messages that contain information about when, where, and for how long the wind increase is expected. Let's learn more about wind alerts and how to use them for your sport and outdoor activity.
The complete guide to wind sports and the wind speed required to practice them
There are many different kinds of sport and outdoor activities that require wind. The question is: What is the wind speed? The wind gusts and wind direction are also very important. For example, sailing and windsurfing are equally impossible in stormy and calm weather. Even runners and slackliners are affected by wind, yes. But not that much as those who use sails, flies, and bikes. Let's learn what are the main types of windsports you can try and what kind of wind is a friend or an enemy for you as sportsmen.
How to get wind forecast in less than three clicks in the Windy.app
Still, five years after the launch, Windy.app is a mobile app about and for wind active sports. So we've calculated: you can get wind information — speed, direction, and gusts (a brief increase of the wind speed, usually for no more than 20—30 seconds) — in Windy.app in 35 different ways: from the Home screen of the app to the Wind history (Wind archive) for the past 9 years on this website. Every time, in less than three clicks.
What is the winds aloft forecast and how to read it
In the wind forecast that you see in your weather app, there is one small and important detail that not everyone knows about: it is the wind at 10 meters (33 feet) high. It is not important for pedestrians but critical for all those who are engaged in wind sports in the air: paragliding, ultra-light aviation, and others.
What books to read about wind
In the first part of our new Windy.app Reading List column, we have listed books about five major winter weather phenomena. One of them is wind, which, of course, doesn't just happen in winter. So here are five more books entirely devoted to the most interesting and vital weather phenomenon.
Text: Windy.app, Ivan Kuznetsov
Cover photo: Jo Coenen Studio Dries / Unsplash
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