Question on windspeed

[stormcrow]

If winds in Orlando peaked at 85mph, would they be higher at 150 above ground and could it be estimated how much higher? I understand that on the coast winds increase with highth, does this apply inland?

[weatherwindow]

10-15% higher

[vbhoutex]

If winds in Orlando peaked at 85mph, would they be higher at 150 above ground and could it be estimated how much higher? I understand that on the coast winds increase with highth, does this apply inland?

Wind speeds are always higher where there is less frictional loss, ie, further above the ground. It isn't purely that simple, but that is the basics of it.

[Aslkahuna]

In hurricanes, the latest studies show that the peak winds of the storm are about 500m above the surface and recently NHC has taken note of this when expecting landfall where high rises are located by advising that the winds at the tops of high rises can be a full category higher than at the surface.

Steve

[HurricaneBill]

In hurricanes, the latest studies show that the peak winds of the storm are about 500m above the surface and recently NHC has taken note of this when expecting landfall where high rises are located by advising that the winds at the tops of high rises can be a full category higher than at the surface.

Steve

So, if the peak winds are at 500m, does that mean the winds at the surface do not indicate a hurricane's intensity?

[Aslkahuna]

The maximum intensity of the storm may not be totally represented by the surface intensity-however the latter is what all of the advisories and intensity categories are based upon since there are very few people who work, live and play 1640 feet off the ground-unless you live in Hong Kong, Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur or Singapore where the high rises reach that high with out surrounding terrain. But in places like eastern Luzon where the mountains come out of the sea-it would be important for people to know that the winds they were getting in their villages at that elevation where stronger than those at sea level when the winds came in off the ocean. In actuality, I often commented in our discussions of typhoons at Clark AB at how I noted damage hinting at stronger winds than we measured in the higher elevations of the Base which were several hundred feet higher in elevation (though I feel strongly that our winds had a low bias because the end of the runway where the sensor was located was nearly 50m lower than the other ened.

Steve