BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — November, statistically, is one of the windiest months of the year for Western New York. So the question is why is that the case, and what is the science behind how wind is created?
Wind is part of our everyday lives, comes in different forms, and lives on many different scales. This means sometimes enduring the dangerous force it can produce on a regional scale during a snowstorm or on a much smaller scale, a tornado. On a local scale, it can also mean enjoying the delightful cooling effect of a gentle summertime lake breeze. But there is one common denominator that causes all of these different scales of wind in different spaces, and that is, an imbalance in air pressure!
It all starts with the sun! The sun warms the earth unevenly causing that warmed air to rise, which leaves an area of lower pressure in its wake. This creates a pressure imbalance with nearby higher pressure. Because we don’t live in a vacuum, air will move from higher pressure to lower pressure. This movement of air is the wind! The greater the difference in pressure, the stronger the wind, especially when that pressure difference is over a short distance.
During the month of November, we often observe large temperature changes in short periods of time, as warm and cold air battle it out over North America. That battleground can fall right over Western New York, and that is a big reason why it can be so windy in this part of the world, this time of the year.
So now you know the mechanics behind what drives the wind blow, why November can be so windy, and the variety of atmospheric scales in which it lives.
