Windiest place in NZ

[NZstorm]

Incidence of severe wind in NZ (days per annum with gale recorded)

AK Airport 3.0

Wellington Airport 47.0

Christchurch Airport 2.3

Dunedin Musselburgh 2.9

Invercargill Airport 10.3

[NZstorm]

Average days per annum with wind gusts in excess of 96km/h

Auckland Airport 2.6

Wellington Airport 32.5

Christchurch Airport 2.8

Invercargill Airport 11.6

[RWood]

Here's a list of a few places, with some windy coastal spots added:
In the terms I was talking about, I think it bears out the later comments about Auckland.

Mean windrun, 2005:

SW Cape 875
Castlepoint 702
Cape Reinga 674
Wellington Aero 574
Kelburn, Wgton 438
Hawera 415
Wanganui 409
N Plymouth 380**
Auckland Aero 379
Kaitaia Aero 374
Invercargill Aero 367
Palm Nth 340**
Westport 328
Chch Aero 324
Blenheim Aero 317
Tauranga Aero 312
Napier Aero 303
Taupo 289
Rotorua Aero 282
Nelson 265
Dunedin Aero 265
Whangarei Aero 259
Hokitika 250**
Gisborne 249
Hamilton 242
Timaru Aero 199
Te Kuiti 107
Taumaranui 92

These last 2 entries show that lack of wind can be undesirable, both being cloudy climates with frequent precipitation.

[NZstorm]

Interesting figures. In eastern areas there is a propensity for calm nights (lighter winds) were as in an exposed region like Auckland the diurnal variation is reduced.

[David]

Average days per annum with wind gusts in excess of 96km/h

A lower value would be more appropriate I think. Comparing two places, one place may have a high incidence of strong wind days and the other a low incidence, whereas they may have the same incidence of severe winds.
In 2005 there were 13 days with gale force gusts here but only one day with gusts over 96km/h (8 Oct, squall to 110km/h).
In 2006 there were 15 days with gale gusts but only 2 days over 96km/h (12 Jun, 9 Nov) and 3 other days very close to this.
This year there have been 18 days already with gale gusts with numerous other days coming close (<65km/h), but only 1 day with gusts over 96km/h (July 10).

Thansk for the stats RWood, I did think Auckland would be reasonably windy although not experiencing many strong gales.
And NZStorm, I thought the data for wind gusts over 93km/h is available, not 96km/h? Strange because climate database has data for days with gusts over 51knots (94km/h)

[NZstorm]

There is no such thing as a gale gust. A gale is a 10 minute average of atleast 63km/h 34kts. Nothing to do with gusts really. And a hurricane is 10minute average of 64kts.

Invercargill should get another interesting weather day tomorrow with squally thunderstorms in a gale WSW.

[David]

Yes I distinguish between days with 'gales' and days with 'gale gusts'. I don't see why gale gusts can't be used because its the gusts that cause the damage (if strong enough).

[Michael]

The SW are by far the strongest here,The trees just continuosly keep moving let alone the whistle of the wind wheres the other so called windy directions ie W and NE theyre can be gusty but not the continual gale

[Willoughby]

Are you kidding? Surely Auckland is far windier than places like Christchurch, Hamilton, Rotorua, Taupo, etc.

Auckland is exposed to the west and these places are not as exposed.

The Westerlies tend to be stronger east of high ground.

Taupo AP is very exposed to the westerly, possibly more so than Auckland... Hamilton is the least windiest city in the nation When Masterton becomes a city we'll be pipped by them. I'm pretty sure Gisborne's northwesterlies aren't that strong and it's gale days will only come from a stormy southeasterly.

[spwill]

Thanks RWood and NZstorm for the stats

Incidence of severe wind in NZ (days per annum with gale recorded)

AK Airport 3.0

Wellington Airport 47.0

Christchurch Airport 2.3

Dunedin Musselburgh 2.9

Invercargill Airport 10.3

Ak Areo on the Manakau Harbour is exposed to prevaling winds. Are Chch Airport and Musselburgh good examples are eastern SI for wind ?. Chch areo usually missing the NW and I'm sure Mussleburgh must have some sheltering from the SW and NW looking at those figures.

Te Kuiti 107
Taumaranui 92

These last 2 entries show that lack of wind can be undesirable, both being cloudy climates with frequent precipitation

more going on there for the cloud and rain than just wind RWood. I think 30+ days of wind above 96km/h as with Wellington more undesirable.

[RWood]

Ak Areo on the Manakau Harbour is exposed to prevaling winds. Are Chch Airport and Musselburgh good examples are eastern SI for wind ?. Chch areo usually missing the NW and I'm sure Mussleburgh must have some sheltering from the SW and NW looking at those figures.

That wasn't Musselburgh, that was Dunedin Aero!
The Broadfield site in open countryside near Lincoln has the same average as Chch Aero.

Te Kuiti 107
Taumaranui 92

These last 2 entries show that lack of wind can be undesirable, both being cloudy climates with frequent precipitation

more going on there for the cloud and rain than just wind RWood. I think 30+ days of wind above 96km/h as with Wellington more undesirable.

I totally disagree. I couldn't spend a month in either place - damp, humid, cloudy, frequent seasonal fogs, would drive me crazy. Even in Wellington it's possible to live in areas that don't get all that much wind. It's not possible to invent the sun in cloudy climates!!

Shows you the amount of subjectivity in climate assessment - now if I could just get more Wellingtonians to move elsewhere, eg Auckland, the city population would be nearer what I'd like...

[spwill]

That wasn't Musselburgh, that was Dunedin Aero!

NZstorm Gale info was for Mussleburgh. Dunedin Aero would get a lot of calm days away from Summer and I'm sure a lot more strong wind days than Auckland Areo during the year.
Yes, lincoln will be similar to Chch.

Wind chill temps for our Cities would be interesting.

[RWood]

I'm talking about windruns. Other than what I suggested, you can't find a place in the SI eastern zones in the NIWA tables that's windier than Auck Aero on that stat, unless you take very exposed coastal spots like Grassmere (saltworks), parts of Banks Peninsula or hilltops and higher altitude zones - but then you'd be comparing with the likes of Manukau Heads.

What you're really talking about is apparent temp/windchill. Not a problem for me - I like sunshine, lower humidities and less showery weather, so prefer climates that are sunnier than Auckland - and in this country, they also happen to be cooler.

[spwill]

I'm talking about windruns.

Can be misleading RWood in relation to strong wind events.

I like sunshine, lower humidities and less showery weather, so prefer climates that are sunnier than Auckland -

But they are not that much sunnier than Auckland and a lot colder.
Not like we have a Perth in NZ. I think this end of NZ has the best of it.

[RWood]

I'm talking about windruns.

Can be misleading RWood in relation to strong wind events.

There are several possible definitions of windiness, as TonyT said. In my case I'm talking of windrun.

I like sunshine, lower humidities and less showery weather, so prefer climates that are sunnier than Auckland -

But they are not that much sunnier than Auckland and a lot colder.

You're off the planet!!

Not like we have a Perth in NZ. I think this end of NZ has the best of it.

(1) Mean daily max for year, 30-year standard: Whakatane 19.6, Gisborne 19.4, Auck (Albert Park) 19.3, Napier 19.3, Tauranga 18.8.

Each of these other places is considerably sunnier than Auckland, particularly Whakatane and Napier.

(2) Blenheim 18.3, Motueka 18.0: these places have comparable average maxima to Auckland in the summer months, and of course are far sunnier.

In addition of course, all of them have considerably fewer raindays and Napier and Blenheim also have a much lower average rainfall.

You be happy at your end. Many of us are happy elsewhere, and don't want many of you to change your minds and move! I'm sick of this subjective stuff which always creeps into these threads.

[spwill]

Differences between the north and south show up better in the temp mins and winter temps RWood.

RWood wrote,

I'm sick of this subjective stuff which always creeps into these threads

People do have opinions . Weather stats dont tell the full story.

Atleast I can say I enjoy the climate of my town RWood

[RWood]

Indeed they do - and a lot of South Islanders in particular prefer their climates to yours. It's fortunate, as I already said, that so many of you prefer it up there. Personally, even given an open choice of income and suburb, I wouldn't shift to Auckland in any circumstances - on weather grounds or other grounds. I'm happy here - if I leave one day, it would be to a place like one of the ones I listed.

[janewaystv]

Interesting stats. there Rwood, surprised to see AKL Aero ahead of IVC in terms of windrun, also surprised at Timaru's low windrun of only 199, it's right on the coast so I assumed it was more windier and lastly Cape Reinga's total, is it because of the two seas meeting at CR?

[David]

Cape Reinga's total, is it because of the two seas meeting at CR?

I'm pretty sure that the total there is only that high because it juts out into the sea. In stormy weather coming from the northern quarter Cape Reinga can catch some pretty powerful winds (I think the highest speed there is about 180kmh but I'm not sure on this one). It also catches the W and SW winds quite strong.

Would be interesting RWood to see if they had daily wind runs for southern islands like the Auckland islands and Enderby island.

[Willoughby]

Is Scott Base in the dataset? Have seen some pretty mad METARs from there!

[RWood]

Timaru Aero is a few kms inland, but it's not a particularly windy coast anyway as I understand it. Cape Reinga is very "maritime" with only a narrow low-lying neck of land for kms to the south, and it's a bit above sea level as well.
Regarding IVC Aero, I think you could find places thereabouts with higher windruns, certainly southwards towards Bluff - Awarua is notorious.

For 2005, Enderby Is averaged 695 km/day and Campbell 665. The latter's site is (or at least was once) "comparatively" sheltered by the standards of the island. They don't have data listed for Scott Base in recent years , that I can find. However I've seen Interent articles quoting averages from Dumont D'Urville base, which sits in one of the "katabatic runs" in Antarctica and has some scary numbers:

http://www.gdargaud.net/Antarctica/MeteoDdU.html#DdU

[David]

324km/h
The world record is 371 (or 372?)kmh at Mt Washington, I remember 378km/h being reported at Guam but not accepted:
Challenge to Mount Washington

[spwill]

RWood wrote,

I wouldn't shift to Auckland in any circumstances

Auckland is definitely not a City you would retire to, thankfully.