What is the Difference Between Gust and Wind?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚The main difference between gust and wind lies in their duration and intensity. Here are the key distinctions between the two:
- Wind: Wind refers to the sustained speed of air movement over a specific period, usually averaged over two minutes. Sustained winds are used to measure the strength of storms, such as hurricanes, which have sustained winds between 74 and 95 miles per hour for a category one hurricane.
- Wind Gust: A wind gust is a sudden, brief increase in wind speed that typically lasts under 20 seconds. Wind gusts are reported when the peak wind speed reaches at least 16 knots, and the variation in wind speed lasts for a few seconds to perhaps 30 seconds.
In summary, wind represents the average speed of air movement over a certain period, while wind gusts are short-lived bursts of wind speed. Wind gusts can cause more damage due to their higher intensity, even though they last for a shorter duration compared to sustained winds.
Comparative Table: Gust vs Wind
The main difference between gust and wind lies in their duration and intensity. Here is a comparison table highlighting the differences:
| Feature | Wind | Wind Gust |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | The average wind speed over a specific period, typically 2 minutes or 10 minutes. | A sudden, brief increase in wind speed that typically lasts less than 20 seconds. |
| Measurement | Measured using an anemometer, which records wind speed constantly and calculates the average over a specified period. | Measured using an anemometer, which records wind speed constantly and identifies sudden increases in wind speed. |
| Duration | Lasts for several minutes. | Lasts for a few seconds, usually less than 20 seconds. |
| Intensity | Wind gusts are generally about 40% stronger than the average wind speed over open water. | Wind gusts can be at least 10 mph faster than the average wind speed and reach over 18 mph. |
| Damage Potential | The force applied by wind over a longer period can cause stress and result in damage, sometimes worse than a strong wind gust. | The shorter duration of wind gusts means they exert force on an object for a shorter period, potentially causing less damage. |
| Beaufort Wind Scale | Used to estimate wind speeds based on the damage they cause and to anticipate the impacts of predicted wind speeds. | N/A |
In summary, wind refers to the average wind speed over a specific period, while wind gusts are sudden, brief increases in wind speed that typically last less than 20 seconds and are generally stronger than the average wind speed.
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