3 Windiest Places in the Lone Star State

Posted on January 8, 2020 by Kurz Industrial Solutions

If you’re thinking of moving to Texas or planning a vacation at the beach, it’s important to know the weather. Each year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) compiles the list of top windy cities in the United States and within each state. In the Lone Star State, the top three cities with the highest annual wind speeds are Corpus Christi, which also has some of the highest winds ever recorded in the state, Lubbock, which has one of the state’s largest music scenes, and Amarillo, which is known for its unique history, climate, and geographic location.

Factors in Ranking the Windiest Cities

The windiest cities are determined by data collected by NOAA. This data examines average wind speeds on a monthly basis as well as averages throughout the year. A city’s average yearly wind speeds are determined in part by average sustained winds recorded throughout the year. However, average wind speeds in a given location are also influenced by strong storms. Winds from seasonal patterns and strong storms are also factored into average wind speed calculations. Not surprisingly, some of Texas’s windiest locations have also recorded some of the highest single-storm wind speeds in the country.

Amarillo

Amarillo leads the state and nation in the ranking of windiest cities. Here, average wind speeds are 13.6 MPH throughout the year. As with other windy cities in Texas, the windiest month of the year, on average, is April. The highest winds ever recorded in Amarillo were clocked at 84 MPH on May 15, 1949. This city is located in the panhandle region on the border of the Great Plains. Summers in Amarillo are generally hot, dry, and clear. Winters are dry, cold, and windy. The temperature fluctuates widely from averages of 25ºF to 91ºF during the summer months. Rarely, temperatures fall below 13ºF or exceed 100ºF. Amarillo receives most of its rainfall during August, and it also averages about 15 inches of snow each year.

Lubbock

Lubbock also ranks high on the list of windy cities. Its average annual wind speeds are 12.4 MPH. The windiest month of the year is normally April. The highest winds recorded in Lubbock to date occurred in 1952 when wind speeds reached 90 MPH during a thunderstorm. Lubbock is located in the northwestern part of the state. This city does not receive much rainfall, with an average total of just under 20 inches for the year. The most rain falls during spring and early summer, and it often occurs with thunderstorms. May and June have the highest precipitation rates at 2.28 and 3.03 inches, respectively. The average annual temperature is just over 60ºF. The average annual high is 74.3ºF, while the average annual low temperature is 47ºF. Lubbock sometimes receives snow during the winter months.

Corpus Christi

Corpus Christi is located on the Gulf of Mexico. It is in the southern part of Texas. Based on average annual wind speeds, Corpus Christi is the eighth windiest in the United States. Year-round, this city’s average wind speeds are 12 MPH. The windiest month is typically April. The highest winds ever recorded in Corpus Christi reached 161 MPH. These winds were recorded during Hurricane Celia, which struck Corpus Christi on August 3, 1970. This city has an overall warm and humid climate. The summer months are typically hot and dry, while winters range from mild to warm. Spring and fall months are temperatures, with highs averaging in the mid to upper 70s.

From the Gulf of Mexico to the Plains, Texas is home to three of the windiest cities in the United States. These cities average winds ranging from 12 MPH to over 13 MPH throughout the year, with higher winds recorded during periodic thunderstorms, hurricanes, and other seasonal storms.

Categorised in: Latest Wind Power Industry News - Kurz Wind Division

This post was written by Aaron Rood