A debate exists in many meteorological circles about the location of the windiest place on Earth. There are, however, a few locations on the planet where extreme winds eclipse everything else.

Most of us have experienced strong or even gale-force winds at some point during our lives. In most cases, these were exceptions to otherwise much calmer conditions. There are, however, a few places on the planet that continually experience extreme windy conditions.

Declaring the “windiest” place on Earth is not as straightforward as one might think. Some criteria may look at maximum wind speeds, others will look at average sustained velocity, and some at how often these atmospheric conditions occur.

The following section describes which criteria are most suitable for defining a location with extreme wind activity, as well as the areas that fall within this category.

Over a short period, wind can reach high velocities. These strong gusts are often found in extreme weather phenomena like hurricanes and tornadoes, and don’t last for very long.

For any location to be acknowledged as being windy, it must experience continuous strong winds over an extended period. It is for this reason that using the annual average wind speed is such a good indicator of sustained heavy wind activity.

It is also important to distinguish between short-lived extreme wind events and regions that experience consistently strong winds throughout the year.

By using these criteria, it is much easier to locate and define the region that qualifies as the windiest place in the world:

Windiest Place On Earth

Cape Denison in Commonwealth Bay, Antarctica, is recognized as the windiest location on Earth. While the average annual wind speed is approximately 80 km/h (50 mph), gusts from katabatic winds can reach speeds of 241 km/h (150 mph).

The following list describes the top eleven cities and locations throughout the world that are continuously subjected to severe wind conditions.

1. 1.   Commonwealth Bay, Antarctica
   2.   Wellington, New Zealand
   3.   Barrow Island, Australia
   4.   Mount Everest, Nepal
   5.   Patagonia, Argentina
   6.   Dodge City, Kansas, United States
   7.   Saint John’s, Canada
   8.   Mount Washington, New Hampshire, United States
   9.   Baku, Azerbaijan
   10. Gruissan, France
   11. Ab-Paran, Afghanistan

In the upcoming sections, we take a closer look at each location in more detail.

Cape Denison in Commonwealth Bay, Antarctica, is recognized as the windiest location on Earth. While the average annual wind speed is approximately 80 km/h (50 mph), gusts from katabatic winds can reach speeds of 241 km/h (150 mph). (Katabatic or drainage winds are winds blowing from elevated to lower-lying areas.)

To put this into context, a storm is classified as severe once wind speeds exceed 93 km/h (58 mph). Furthermore, the Beaufort wind force scale classifies winds as having gale force strength at speeds of 62 – 74 km/h (39 – 46 mph).

(In other words, the average annual wind speed in Commonwealth Bay exceeds the threshold for winds to be classified as gale force.)

The reason that winds reach such high velocities in Commonwealth Bay is a direct result of the slope of the Antarctic Continent as well as the shape of the Bay.

Antarctica is entirely covered by a continental glacier, causing it to have a dome shape. This leads to the formation of katabatic winds that blow down the slopes of the continent towards the ocean. The icy temperatures further contribute to the strength of these winds, as gravity forces the cold, heavy air at the surface to accelerate towards the coast.

The strength of these katabatic winds is further enhanced by the half-moon shape of the Bay, which causes the air to funnel through the center, resulting in a dramatic increase in wind speed.

As mentioned, extreme weather is capable of producing much higher wind speeds. For example, in 1961, Typhoon Nancy led to sustained winds of 346 km/h (215 mph), while the highest wind speed in a tornado was recorded at 486 km/h (302 mph) in Oklahoma in 1999.

These high wind speeds occurred for short periods of time in weather phenomena that do not occur very often. In the case of Commonwealth Bay, however, winds consistently reach gale force strength throughout the year.

Although a few other spots around the world may lay claim to the title of “windiest place on Earth,” Commonwealth Bay is the location that keeps appearing in discussions and is acknowledged by both the Guinness World Records and National Geographic.

Wellington is not only the southernmost capital city in the world but also carries the title of the windiest city on the planet. It is situated in the “Roaring Forties” (latitudes of between 40 and 50 degrees south of the Equator), which are infamous for their extreme winds.

The highest recorded wind speed at this location is 248 km/h (154 mph). With winds blowing for 233 days out of the year and average wind speeds of 43 km/h (27 mph), it is clear why this city is widely accepted as the windiest.

Barrow Island is situated on the northwestern coast of Australia. It is widely exposed to wind activity since it doesn’t have any natural protection.

What sets it apart, though, is that it currently holds the record for the highest recorded surface wind speed in the world. An unmanned station measured a speed of 408 km/h (253 mph) on 10 April 1996.

This gust of wind occurred during Tropical Cyclone Olivia, and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) recognizes it as the highest surface wind speed ever recorded.

Including a mountaintop in a list of the windiest places on Earth may seem a bit odd, but the extreme winds at the top of Mount Everest have more to do with its altitude than its physical location.

At a height of 8848 meters (29 028 feet), the peak of Everest is directly exposed to jet streams, strong, narrow bands of wind that flow in the upper atmosphere. Although they are not permanent, these winds usually blow for sustained periods at high velocities.

Climbers may experience brief periods of calm weather, but it’s usually short-lived. Winds regularly reach speeds of 161 km/h (100 mph), while the highest wind speed ever recorded occurred in February 2004 and measured 282 km/h (175 mph).

Jet streams usually get very little attention as they occur so high in the atmosphere, but the sheer height of the mountain takes climbers right into the domain of these dangerous winds.

Patagonia is a strip of land situated on the southernmost point of Argentina. Like Wellington (New Zealand), it is also exposed to the “Roaring Forties,” which are characterized by sustained heavy winds.

The city of Punta Arenas experiences so much wind activity throughout the year that authorities have erected ropes between buildings for people to hold on to during heavy gusts. With winds reaching speeds of up to 129 km/h (80 mph), it is perfectly understandable.

A contributing factor to the severe wind conditions that characterize the region is the physical geography around Cape Horn, which causes the wind to funnel around it and increase in speed.

Dodge City is one of the windiest towns in the United States. It is situated in the infamous “Tornado Alley” on the American Midwestern Plains, which experiences an exceptionally high number of tornadoes each year.

Winds blowing from the neighboring Rocky Mountains onto the flat plains of the central United States are the biggest contributing factor to the consistent winds experienced in this part of the country.

The resulting winds have an average speed of approximately 23 km/h (14 mph) and blow almost continuously for the majority of the year.

Saint John’s is situated on the east coast of Newfoundland, Canada. It carries the title of the “Windiest City in Canada” for a good reason.

Winds persist for most of the year and have an average speed of 21.8 km/h (13.6 mph). To top it off, winds reach or exceed speeds of 48 km/h (30 mph) for an average of 47 days per year.

Before Barrow Island in Australia was crowned the windiest place on Earth, the title belonged to Mount Washington with a recorded speed of 372 km/h (231 mph).

It is still one of the windiest locations on the planet, with an average wind speed of 51 km/h (32 mph). It is also the windiest region in the United States.

Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan and the largest city in the country, gets its reputation as a windy city from the cold northerly winds blowing from the Caspian Sea (called the Khazri) as well as the warm southern winds flowing overland (called the Gilavar).

These winds cause Baku to experience strong winds throughout the year, with the Khazri reaching speeds of up to 144 km/h (89 mph) on occasion. It should come as no surprise that the city carries the nickname “City of Winds.”

Gruissan is a coastal commune situated in the south of France. The traditional fishing village is built around the remains of a 10th-century castle and is circular in shape.

Winds blow for approximately 300 days out of the year with an average speed of 29 km/h (18 mph). The strong northwesterly Tramontane is the dominant wind in the region.

Ab-Paran has a history of heavy storms accompanied by strong winds. What makes it stand out, though, is the wind speed of 328 km/h (204 mph) recorded in 2008. This more than justifies its position as one of the windiest locations on Earth.

As this article illustrates, there are quite a few places around the world that can lay claim to the title “Windiest Place on Earth.”

When one looks at the criteria, it becomes evident that Commonwealth Bay in Antarctica deserves the crown.

This article not only highlights the windiest location on the planet but also looks at regions around the world that experience extreme wind conditions throughout the year.

Until next time, keep your eye on the weather!