Wind speed

Not to be confused with Airspeed.
An anemometer is commonly used to measure wind speed.
Global distribution of wind speed at 10m above ground averaged over the years 1981–2010 from the CHELSA-BIOCLIM+ data set[1]

In meteorology, wind speed, or wind flow speed, is a fundamental atmospheric quantity caused by air moving from high to low pressure, usually due to changes in temperature. Wind speed is now commonly measured with an anemometer.

Wind speed affects weather forecasting, aviation and maritime operations, construction projects, growth and metabolism rates of many plant species, and countless other implications.[2] Wind direction is usually almost parallel to isobars (and not perpendicular, as one might expect), due to Earth's rotation.

  1. ^ Brun, P., Zimmermann, N.E., Hari, C., Pellissier, L., Karger, D.N. (preprint): Global climate-related predictors at kilometre resolution for the past and future. Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss. https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2022-212
  2. ^ Hogan, C. Michael (2010). "Abiotic factor". In Emily Monosson; C. Cleveland (eds.). Encyclopedia of Earth. Washington D.C.: National Council for Science and the Environment. Archived from the original on 2013-06-08.