Bulbs
Flower Basics
Flower Beds & Specialty Gardens
Flower Garden
Garden Furniture
Garden Gnomes
Garden Seeds
Garden Sheds
Garden Statues
Garden Tools & Supplies
Gardening Basics
Green & Organic
Groundcovers & Vines
Growing Annuals
Growing Basil
Growing Beans
Growing Berries
Growing Blueberries
Growing Cactus
Growing Corn
Growing Cotton
Growing Edibles
Growing Flowers
Growing Garlic
Growing Grapes
Growing Grass
Growing Herbs
Growing Jasmine
Growing Mint
Growing Mushrooms
Orchids
Growing Peanuts
Growing Perennials
Growing Plants
Growing Rosemary
Growing Roses
Growing Strawberries
Growing Sunflowers
Growing Thyme
Growing Tomatoes
Growing Tulips
Growing Vegetables
Herb Basics
Herb Garden
Indoor Growing
Landscaping Basics
Landscaping Patios
Landscaping Plants
Landscaping Shrubs
Landscaping Trees
Landscaping Walks & Pathways
Lawn Basics
Lawn Maintenance
Lawn Mowers
Lawn Ornaments
Lawn Planting
Lawn Tools
Outdoor Growing
Overall Landscape Planning
Pests, Weeds & Problems
Plant Basics
Rock Garden
Rose Garden
Shrubs
Soil
Specialty Gardens
Trees
Vegetable Garden
Yard Maintenance
How to Measure Wind Speed
How to Measure Wind Speed. Measuring wind speed is important in weather forecasting, and in particular the forecasting of hurricanes and tornadoes. The Beaufort scale is used to illustrate the speed of wind at any particular time in terms of knots.
Measuring wind speed is important in weather forecasting, and in particular the forecasting of hurricanes and tornadoes. The Beaufort scale is used to illustrate the speed of wind at any particular time in terms of knots.
Things You'll Need
Anemometer
Weather vane
Doppler radar
Use a weather vane. This is a device that measures the direction and speed of wind. If you install a weather vane at the top of a building, it will point in the direction away from where the wind is coming from and will spin around based on how hard the wind is traveling. The faster the vane spins around, the stronger the wind is said to be.
Buy a modern anemometer. This is a device that works similarly to a weather vane, except with a heated wire. When the wind gathers strength, the wire becomes hotter. The temperature of the wire then tells the electronic device how strong the wind is traveling.
Look at your local Doppler radar. The National Weather Service uses a Doppler radar to inspect the air velocity and the doppler shift. This tells viewers how fast the wind is blowing.
Lick a finger and stick it in the air in the direction the wind is coming from. Golfers, football kickers and other sports professionals use this technique to determine the wind speed. The more quickly your finger dries, the harder the wind is blowing.
Watch how hard flags are blowing. When flags are barely moving, the wind is virtually nonexistent. When flags are completely erect and firm, the wind is blowing hard.
