Climate can outline a area – some are scorching and humid, whereas others are chilly and wet. Individuals usually take this under consideration after they transfer to allow them to stay in a metropolis that most closely fits their style. Those that prefer it scorching could transfer to Phoenix or Miami, whereas individuals who prefer it chilly could transfer to Duluth or Seattle. Nevertheless, an often-overlooked side of the climate is wind. Wind can affect temperatures, create dramatic storms, and even form a metropolis’s total local weather.
However which cities are the windiest?
So, for those who’re contemplating transferring to a brand new space, we’re right here to assist. Redfin has compiled an inventory of the windiest cities within the U.S. that will help you transfer with confidence. Learn on to find if considered one of these cities is best for you.
How we decide the windiest cities
For our functions of figuring out the “windiest” cities, this listing will give attention to cities which have the best common annual wind pace. Many cities often see sturdy bursts of wind, like these from tornadoes and hurricanes, however are comparatively calm in any other case. These received’t make the lower. This listing focuses on consistency over a whole yr.
Due to this, cities within the Nice Plains from central Texas to South Dakota (often called Twister Alley) and the Southeast from Louisiana to Kentucky (often called Dixie Alley) don’t make the listing. Equally, most cities that see hurricanes alongside the Gulf of Mexico and Southeast Atlantic Coast additionally don’t make the listing. Wind definitely performs a significant function in these cities, although, so at all times do your analysis to grasp a metropolis’s wind danger earlier than making the transfer.
Preserve studying to see Redfin’s rankings of the windiest cities within the U.S. with a inhabitants of 100,000 or extra. Afterwards, we’ll additionally point out the least windy cities.
What are the windiest cities within the U.S.?
1. Amarillo, Texas
Common wind pace: 12.9 mph
File highest wind pace: 84 mph (1949)
Amarillo, TX is the windiest main metropolis within the U.S. Its sturdy, constant winds are as a consequence of its location within the Southwestern Nice Plains. The Plains are particularly liable to winds as a consequence of their air strain instability and flat, dry, and unforested terrain. With fewer obstructions, the wind has time to choose up pace. Moreover, the Plains expertise sturdy springtime winds from the Nocturnal Low-Degree Jet.
Town’s wind file occurred in the course of the sometimes calm winter, when highly effective gusts from a storm over the Rocky Mountains introduced intense winds to the world. This can be a pretty frequent phenomenon throughout the Western Plains. Low strain strikes west throughout the tall mountains earlier than rushing (and spinning) downhill as a consequence of sturdy temperature and elevation variations.
So, do you need to transfer to the windiest metropolis within the nation? Amarillo is a real Route 66 cowboy city, identified for its Texas-sized steaks, the well-known Starlight Ranch, and horseback using by means of Palo Duro Canyon.
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2. Rochester, Minnesota
Common wind pace: 12.0 mph
File highest wind pace: 74 mph (2019)
Rochester is the second-windiest metropolis within the U.S., beating out close by Chicago and Minneapolis by a large margin. In distinction to most different windy cities, Rochester sees a few of its strongest winds within the winter as a consequence of chilly fronts from Canada. That is usually adopted by heat southerly winds from the Rocky Mountains.
Curiously, nevertheless, the area’s highest wind pace of 74 mph got here in August, which is their calmest month on common. This wind got here from a derecho, that are widespread and extreme bands of windstorms and thunderstorms that may produce harm much like a twister. Derechos are pretty uncommon, however they’re commonest within the Midwest in the course of the summer season and may have an effect on each metropolis on this listing.
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3. Lubbock, Texas
Common wind pace: 12.0 mph
File highest wind pace: 90 mph (1952)
Simply 120 miles south of Amarillo, Lubbock, TX is the third-windiest metropolis within the nation. Lubbock is dominated by flat, dry prairies, oil wells, and cattle ranches, and owes its wind to sturdy thunderstorms, strain instability, and flat terrain. Town experiences practically an identical climate to close by Amarillo.
Lubbock is finest identified for its agriculture, schooling, and leisure, with Texas Tech and Joyland Amusement Park the highest locations. It’s additionally nicknamed the Hub Metropolis of West-Central Texas and has a wealthy ranching and musical heritage, with museums to show it.
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4. Corpus Christi, Texas
Common wind pace: 11.7 mph
File highest wind pace: 161 mph (1970)
Additionally one of many hottest cities within the U.S., Corpus Christi, TX is the fourth-windiest metropolis within the nation. In distinction to Midwestern cities, Corpus Christi’s wind comes from constant summer season breezes from the Gulf of Mexico and winter and spring storms from the west and northwest. This area’s wind is constant all yr, with speeds usually sitting between 10 and 13 mph.
Corpus Christi’s strongest wind gust got here from a hurricane (Celia in 1970), which is much larger than every other metropolis on this listing. Different cities could have seen stronger winds from tornadoes, however fashionable devices usually are not sturdy sufficient to resist these excessive wind speeds. Hurricanes are uncommon in Corpus Christi, however may be devastating.
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5. Wichita, Kansas
Common wind pace: 11.5 mph
File highest wind pace: 101 mph (1993)
Wichita is the fifth-windiest metropolis and follows the identical developments as different Midwest cities. Spring is the windiest season, summer season is the calmest, and powerful thunderstorms are frequent many of the yr. One such thunderstorm in the summertime of 1993 produced town’s highest recorded wind pace.
Referred to as the “Air Capital of the World,” Wichita is the central hub of Kansas and is residence to main plane producers like Cessna and Beechcraft. Town can be identified for its Civil Rights historical past, botanical gardens, and annual festivals like Riverfest.
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6. Boston, Massachusetts
Common wind pace: 11.5 mph
File highest wind pace: 90 mph (2019)
Boston, MA is the sixth-windiest metropolis and the one metropolis on our listing on the East Coast. Because of its northern location, town sees very constant breezes from the colder North Atlantic Ocean year-round, however can see stronger storms within the fall and winter. The strongest storms come from the collision of chilly Canadian air and heat air from the southern Atlantic, which carry heavy rain, snow, and wind as they transfer northward (from heat to chilly). These pretty frequent and infamous storms are known as “nor’easters.”
Boston’s strongest wind gust really got here from a 2019 “sou’easter,” which has similarities to well-known nor’easters, however as an alternative brought on by an extra of hotter air from the southeastern Atlantic. Sou’easters are extra frequent within the fall and early winter.
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7. Oklahoma Metropolis, Oklahoma
Common wind pace: 11.3 mph
File highest wind pace: 151 mph (2011)
Oklahoma is thought for its flat terrain, sturdy winds, and being in prime twister territory — and Oklahoma Metropolis isn’t any completely different. In truth, in 1999, the Oklahoma Metropolis space noticed the strongest unofficial wind pace on earth when an EF-5 twister struck close to Bridge Creek. The twister’s wind pace was measured at 301 mph (+/- 20 mph), though it’s an approximation and isn’t an official file.
Much like different Midwestern cities, Oklahoma Metropolis will get its ample wind from strain instability and night thunderstorms. Whereas the world’s file wind gust information is scarce, probably the most correct information comes from a detailed encounter with a twister that struck close by.
The state capital is thought for its large zoo, Bricktown Leisure District, and the beautiful Myriad Botanical Gardens. Sports activities are additionally a pivotal a part of life.
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8. Wichita Falls, Texas
Common wind pace: 11.2 mph
File highest wind pace: unknown
Wichita Falls, TX is the eight-windiest metropolis within the nation and one of the crucial liable to tornadoes (though cities in Louisiana and Mississippi could now personal that title). Much like Amarillo, Lubbock, and different Central and Western Texas cities, Wichita sees the strongest winds in the course of the spring and offers with thunderstorms in the summertime.
Wichita Falls has seen loads of sturdy storms, together with an F-5 and F-4 twister. Whereas these storms can produce winds in extra of 250 mph, the readings are approximate and unofficial. Its strongest official winds seemingly got here from a extreme thunderstorm, however information are incomplete.
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9. Fargo, North Dakota
Common wind pace: 11.1 mph
File highest wind pace: 110 mph (1999)
Fargo, ND is the ninth-windiest metropolis within the U.S. and one of many coldest. Though it’s farther north than different cities on this listing, it’s nonetheless exceptionally flat and experiences a considerable amount of strain instability, resulting in sturdy, constant winds.
Fargo’s highest wind pace seemingly got here from the huge Boundary Waters-Canadian derecho that moved from North Dakota, by means of southern Canada, and again into New England till dissipating on the coast of Maine.
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10. Abilene, Texas
Common wind pace: 10.9 mph
File highest wind pace: 78 mph (1983)
Abilene, TX rounds out our listing because the tenth-windiest metropolis within the nation. Identical to close by Lubbock and Wichita Falls, Abilene sees an extra of wind as a consequence of flat terrain, unstable air, and powerful summer season storms.
Abilene’s nickname, the “Storybook Capital of America,” offers credence to its Texas appeal and hospitality, in addition to the primary museum for image guide artwork within the nation. A real outdated Western tradition and a flat, wooded panorama give town a singular really feel that many like to name residence.
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The ten least windy cities within the U.S.
Some individuals could need to select the place to stay primarily based on how calm the climate is. If that is you, right here’s an inventory of the least windy main U.S. cities:
Los Angeles, CA: 1.9 mph
Chattanooga, TN: 5.0 mph
Tallahassee, FL: 5.5 mph
Augusta, GA: 5.5 mph
Lengthy Seashore, CA: 5.6 mph
Montgomery, AL: 5.9 mph
Macon, GA: 5.9 mph
Gainesville, FL: 6.0 mph
Columbus, GA: 6.0 mph
Knoxville, TN: 6.0 mph
What’s the highest wind pace ever recorded within the U.S.?
Mount Washington, the tallest mountain within the Appalachians, holds the file for strongest wind pace in the US at 231 mph in 1934, which was additionally the world file for over 60 years till Tropical Cyclone Olivia (253 mph) broke it in 1996. Situated in Northern New Hampshire, Mount Washington is constantly very windy, with a median annual wind pace of 35.8 mph, greater than double any metropolis within the nation.
Tornadoes are literally able to producing the strongest winds on this planet, however they’re so harmful that they destroy measuring gear after they cross paths. Due to this, tornadoes are excluded from wind pace information as a consequence of unreliable measurements. Nevertheless, consultants nonetheless estimate twister wind speeds through the use of cell doppler radars that measure the pace of mud or particles throughout the twister.
How is wind altering?
Because the world warms and local weather change continues, common wind speeds are literally seemingly going to lower. This is because of rising common temperatures, particularly in historically cooler locations. Wind is brought on by adjustments in strain and temperature, normally from low to excessive and chilly to heat. So, as colder locations get hotter, the temperature variations that drive world wind patterns will shrink, resulting in slower wind speeds.
Nevertheless, the other is true with extreme storms, that are anticipated to extend. That is particularly pronounced with hurricanes, which depend on heat water to develop. As ocean temperatures rise, hurricanes are projected to grow to be extra frequent and harmful. Tornadoes are additionally barely favored to grow to be extra frequent and can seemingly have a higher influence on infrastructure.
Methodology
This listing accommodates annual wind pace information for main cities with over 100,000 residents. 2023 Comparative Climatic Knowledge was obtained from the Nationwide Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and its subsidiary, the Nationwide Facilities for Environmental Data (NCEI).