It can get a little breezy in CPP’s hometown of Fort Collins, Colorado. With average wind speeds approaching 40 miles per hour (18 m/s) on some days, and gusts in excess of 45 (20 m/s), walking around town isn’t always a walk in the park (even when it’s a literal walk in the park). These winds lead us to thinking about breezy locales and the special considerations thatcity planners include to ensure safety and comfort.
Chicago’s nickname is the Windy City, and while it’s true that urban canyons between the city’s iconic skyscrapers can transform mild breezes into localized gales, the moniker is actually a reference to the city’s famously boisterous politicians. Among large American cities, Chicago doesn’t even warrant a spot in the top ten.
If it’s wind you’re after, head to coastal cities of the Northeast like Boston and New York in winter, and then travel west to San Francisco for the summer. In fact, these three cities have such unique wind climates that building in them requires a special wind study.
San Francisco’s location between the hot Central Valley and the ocean makes it ripe for windy days. The City by the Bay is surrounded on three sides by water: The Pacific to the west, the Golden Gate to the north, and San Francisco Bay to the east. The cooling effect of large bodies of water provides a counterpoint to heating in California’s Central Valley, setting up a temperature (and therefore pressure) gradient, and drawing air through the Golden Gate. Wind is a natural consequence of this effect, and its significance is reflected in the provisions of the San Francisco Planning Code, which establishes criteria for wind comfort and hazards.
Bostonians and New Yorkers can thank their positions on the Atlantic coast for their windy reputations. Powerful offshore low-pressure systems like Nor’easters conspire with the cities’ grids of tall buildings to push large volumes of air through comparatively narrow spaces. It’s the same wind tunnel effect that plagues Chicago, but the driving winds can be considerably higher.
Article 80 of the Boston Zoning Code, implemented by the Boston Redevelopment Authority in 1996, requires that all new development undergo a study to quantify wind effects, not just for the proposed structure, but for conditions at ground level. Meanwhile, New York is so windy, and has such unique urban topography, that city planners specify a custom wind code for the city that goes beyond the typical provisions of ASCE 7-10.
Wellington, New Zealand, is widely regarded as the windiest major city in the world, with an average wind speed of more than 16 miles per hour. It owes that status to its position on the Cook Strait, between the north and south islands, which once again, creates a sort of wind tunnel through which ocean breezes strengthen.
Other blustery locales around the world include Rio Gallegos, Argentina; Punta Arenas, Chile; St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada; Perth, Australia; and Yigo, Guam.
As for the highest wind speed ever recorded? That honor goes to Barrow Island, Australia, which experienced a wind gust of 253 miles per hour (113 m/s) on April 10, 1996, during Severe Tropical Cyclone Olivia.
At CPP, we understand how buildings and structures affect wind patterns. We use this knowledge to help you protect the outdoor experiences of people walking or lounging near the building. Whether you’re a building owner, an architect, an engineer, or a developer, you have a stake in the success of your building. Contact CPP and let our talented team and years of experience ensure that your next project doesn’t blow away.
The Solace in the Wind statue greets gusts of air on the Wellington waterfront. The winds in this region are called the "Roaring Forties" because the city is located 40 to 50 degrees south of the equator.
Chicago is infamous for its strong and blustery winds. Chicago's unique meteorological conditions and urban structure contribute to its reputation as the “Windy City.” Structurally, the city's location on Lake Michigan plays a pivotal role.
The Guinness Book of World Records and National Geographic Atlas have both listed this bay in Antarctica as the windiest place on the planet. Katabatic winds in Commonwealth Bay are recorded at over 150 mph on a regular basis, and the average annual wind speed is 50 mph.
Take Chicago, for example. America's Windy City has an average wind speed of 8.9 knots (16.6 km/h). But Wellington tops that with an impressive annual mean wind speed of 11.8 knots (22 km/h).
Contrary to popular belief, Chicago is not the windiest city in the United States. That honor goes to Boston, Massachusetts, which boasts wind speeds that are regularly up to two miles per hour faster than Chicago's.
During the period of the Great Migration (ca. 1915-1970) Chicago became a popular destination for Black Americans relocating from the rural south, many of whom made important cultural contributions to the city.
Chicago is not any windier than other cities, “it is not the windiest city in the United States. ... For example, the average annual wind speed of Chicago is 10.3 mph (16.6 km/h); Boston: 12.4 mph (20.0 km/h); Central Park, New York City: 9.3 mph (15.0 km/h); and Los Angeles: 7.5 mph (12.1 km/h).”
The "doldrums" is a popular nautical term that refers to the belt around the Earth near the equator where sailing ships sometimes get stuck on windless waters. This NASA satellite image shows the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone, known to sailors around the world as the doldrums.
Using this method, a mobile radar (RaXPol) owned and operated by the University of Oklahoma recorded winds up to 150 metres per second (340 mph; 540 km/h) inside the 2013 El Reno tornado, marking the fastest winds ever observed by radar in history.
Part of the Antarctica: The Farthest Place Close to Home Curriculum Collection. These resources introduce Antarctica's extreme environments, describe the conditions under which researchers live and work, and explain how Antarctica is important to the Earth as a whole.
The minimum is not actually in Antarctica as your research suggested, but in the Amazon at longitude 68° west and latitude 0° (that's Brazil near the border with Colombia), with a mean wind speed of 1.55 m/s (5.6 km/h).
A brisk wind at 20 degrees will ruin your picnic. Of course, with climate change this might all be turned on its head before long. Come to Dallas! Fifth windiest city in the nation (and windier than Chicago)!
In general, coastal cities and cities in the Great Plains experience the nation's highest average winds. A few cities windier than Chicago include Boston (12.6 mph), New York (12.2 mph), Honolulu (11.8 mph), Milwaukee (11.7 mph) and San Francisco (10.5 mph).
If you're looking for a low-wind city, here are the top three destinations in the country.
Catalina Foothills, AZ. With an average wind speed of just 1.1 MPH throughout the year, Catalina Foothills in Arizona takes the lead as the least windy city in the United States. ...
Wellington is one of the windiest places in New Zealand because of its location beside Cook Strait, the only major gap between the mountains running the length of the two main islands. As winds are funnelled through the passage they become stronger, especially on the northern (Wellington) side of the strait.
Situated in northern New Hampshire and the heart of northern New England, Mount Washington is in a perfect location to get repeatedly buffeted by weather patterns. Topography plays perhaps the largest role in making Mount Washington one of the windiest places on the planet.
Introduction: My name is Mrs. Angelic Larkin, I am a cute, charming, funny, determined, inexpensive, joyous, cheerful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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