The featured chart is a wind rose for observations reported so far this month from the Ames Airport. A wind rose nicely shows the summarized combination of wind direction and wind speed. The longer the bar is, the more common the wind has been from that direction. The chart shows the lack of winds from the SSE around to the west. These winds would be bringing warmer air into the state and make things feel more like spring. Our dominant directions have been ENE and NW, which is a cold and wet combination.

Voting:
Good = 20
Bad = 4

Tags:   windrose  

This featured wind rose is for Ames so far this May and provides insight into why we have been on the cool side of normal for temperatures. The shaded area highlights the lack of south and southwesterly winds. These winds are typically warm whereas easterly and northwesterly are cool. A return of these warm winds are expected this weekend with highs climbing well into the 80s!

Voting:
Good = 31
Bad = 1

Tags:   windrose  

The featured chart is a wind rose presentation of observed winds from the Ames Airport for the past 31 days. Wind roses show the frequency of direction and magnitude of wind. The dominance of northwest flow can be seen and that is one of the reasons our weather has been so bitterly cold for the past month. Changes are expected this week with winds out of the southwest, which are usually warmer.

Voting:
Good = 33
Bad = 6

Tags:   windrose  

The featured image is a wind rose for June from Esterville showing no reports of southerly winds so far this month. It is no wonder that temperatures have been on the cool side, since cooler air from the north continues to advect in. This pattern looks to continue into this weekend.

Voting:
Good = 38
Bad = 6

Tags:   jun09   windrose  

Our recent stretch of cold weather is not because the Chicago Bears are in the Superbowl this weekend. It is a result of rather persistent northwest flow pumping cold air our way from Canada. No better way to illustrate how persistent than with a recent wind rose plot showing the dominate 3 directions being NNW, NW, and WNW.

Voting:
Good = 30
Bad = 14

Tags:   windrose  

A rose is a rose is a rose, except this rose! The featured image is a wind rose plot for the Des Moines airport for dates between 11 and 21 January. The plot is a wind climatology detailing frequency of wind direction and speed. The individual colors represent frequencies of observed wind speeds for 16 directions. The plot shows that winds from the Northeast and Southwest are rarely observed. The strongest wind speeds (20+ knots in red) are almost always from the Northwest, which is the most common wind direction. The plots of extremely valuable for designers who worry about wind transport of things like odor and particulates.

Voting:
Good = 40
Bad = 9

Tags:   windrose