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Jun 29, 2009 11:15 pm US/Central
Why So Windy?
(WCCO)
If you're looking for an unscientific assessment of the wind, the golf course is always a good place to go.
It was a windy day at the Gross National Golf Club in Minneapolis, but that didn't stop Ryan Pobuda and his friends from hitting the links. They're used to the windy springs in Minnesota.
"We're not pros out here, but we try to account for that stuff," he said.
Pobuda said Monday was much better than Sunday, where the winds averaged around 17 miles per hour, with the gusts even higher, throughout the day.
WCCO Meteorologist Chris Shaffer said this spring hasn't been windier compared to previous years.
In 13 of out 30 days in April, the winds averaged more than 10 miles per hour. It was 16 days in May and, so far, 8 days in June. He said the wind has been backing off as it usually does when summer rolls around.
Shaffer said it's windier in the spring because it's a transitional time.
"As we're getting more daylight, you're getting that battle. The southern half of the continent is warming up more, yet you have that cold air still trapped up in Canada. Anytime you have that clash between the cold and the warm air, you're going to have windy conditions," he said.
While rain is relatively easy to track, measuring wind can be more difficult. The National Weather Service measures average speeds every hour and average speeds throughout the day. It also measures wind gusts. However, sometimes strong, powerful storms for a short time will throw off that average during the day.
Shaffer said it's important to track the wind for safety reasons.
"Mike Fairbourne and I were talking about. There are so many professions that depend on it," said Shaffer. "Mike had mentioned crane operators. They can't go up there when it's too windy. Window washers can't. I have a friend who flies hot air balloons in the St. Croix River Valley. He can't fly it it's over 10 miles an hour. It's too dangerous."
Wind doesn't stop Pobuda and his friends. In fact, sometimes it helps.
"When you have the wind straight at your back, you try to hit a little higher than usual and let the wind carry it. Then you feel like a pro when it goes 300," he said.
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