General Cycling Discussion - ground windspeed vs. Internet windspeed

Almost without fail the wind speed for my zipcode as reported at internet weather sites is 3 or more mph slower than my observations made during my ride.

MPH are MPH and wind is wind, I guess it doesn't really matter, just curious as to why? :confused:

As a postal employee, and a MI res, what is your zip?

Tell me about it, Toronto seems to have a constant hurricane-force omnidirectional headwind and today was no exception.

Since the reported temperature is not taken in direct sunlight perhaps that means the wind speed is measured in a bus shelter!

My suggestion is ditch the bike and go fly a kite - the wind will die down instantly.

Originally posted by outashape
As a postal employee, and a MI res, what is your zip?

I'm in the Tri-City area, midway between Flint and Lansing, you?


Originally posted by bikerider
Since the reported temperature is not taken in direct sunlight perhaps that means the wind speed is measured in a bus shelter!

My suggestion is ditch the bike and go fly a kite - the wind will die down instantly.

LOL, Of course now it makes perfect sense, or as Jim Croce would have put it "If I could measure wind in a bottle..."

I live in Novi and cycle with Ann Arbor Bicycle & Touring Society (Officially AABTS.org but known to many as: AA Bakery & Touring Soc, Aching A$$ BTS), approx 800 members. Most rides are in Pickney, Stockville, Dexter area. Last Wed I rode 80 miles around Dansville. Our club was at a bar in Dansville when members of TCBA came in for lunch. We were glad our order was in first. Do you ride with TCBA? I'm doing Summer Tour with them in July, a week before RAGBRAI.

I work midnights and check weather.com out before I leave. It looks something like SW from 9-11, then no wind then NW. Just the perfect headwind for ride south, lunch, and then head back. It's nice to see it in print, otherwise you're just "think" the wind changed directions.

Originally posted by bikerider
Tell me about it, Toronto seems to have a constant hurricane-force omnidirectional headwind and today was no exception.

Since the reported temperature is not taken in direct sunlight perhaps that means the wind speed is measured in a bus shelter!

My suggestion is ditch the bike and go fly a kite - the wind will die down instantly.
Man you just made my day, and I totally agree with you , Wind around here is really very fickle minded Like the mind of a G*@#$L, I know

I don't want to sound stupid, but how does this work? The weather man says "winds NE 5-8mph".

Does this mean that the wind is coming FROM the NE or is it blowing TO the NE? :confused:

Originally posted by Cadd
I don't want to sound stupid, but how does this work? The weather man says "winds NE 5-8mph".

Does this mean that the wind is coming FROM the NE or is it blowing TO the NE? :confused:

From the NE. That causes a lot of problems with vector questions in math class.

I don't usually worry too much about the wind myself, and just get out and ride.

:crash: :crash: :crash:

Originally posted by outashape
I live in Novi and cycle with Ann Arbor Bicycle & Touring Society (Officially AABTS.org but known to many as: AA Bakery & Touring Soc, Aching A$$ BTS), approx 800 members. Most rides are in Pickney, Stockville, Dexter area...

AATBS sounds like a good size club. There are no clubs in my area that I'm aware of, closest would be Lansing (35 miles) or Swartz Creek (25 miles), so I pretty much ride solo.

Your area seems to have more organized bicycling clubs and such, I'm not sure why things haven't developed up this way, could just be to small of a town / area.

Have you been to the new Velodrome in Rochester Hills?

you must check out www.wunderground.com and taylor a profile for yourself. i have found it to be very reliable. i live near lake michigan, so the winds are different up and down, near and away from the lakefront.

it can give you hour by hour winds and wind gusts. i am a weather geek and have many sites with live doppler, etc. i am starting to put together my own weather station also.