Decoding the Windrose
2. Breaking Down the Anatomy of a Windrose Plot
Now that we know what a windrose plot is, lets talk about how to actually read one. Dont worry, it's not as complicated as it looks! Think of it like learning to read a map; once you understand the key, you're golden.
The diagram typically looks like a star or a flower. Each "arm" of the star represents a direction (North, South, East, West, and the intercardinal directions like Northeast, Southwest, etc.). The length of each arm indicates how frequently the wind blows from that direction. Longer arm equals more frequent wind from that direction! It's like the wind is voting for its favorite direction.
Colors often come into play in these plots. Different colors usually represent different wind speed ranges. For example, blue might represent light winds, while red could indicate strong gusts. By looking at the color distribution along each arm, you can get a sense of the typical wind speeds associated with each direction. It's like a wind weather report all in one picture!
The center of the windrose plot usually shows a circle or some other symbol. This often represents the percentage of time that the wind is calm (i.e., not blowing at all). So, if the central circle is large, that means there's a good chance of having little to no wind at the location. Consider it your 'calm' alert.
