Gust vs Wind
When you watch the weather report for the following day, you are sure to come across a variety of different terms that the reporter uses in order to provide you with an insight as to what kind of day you can expect. Some of the terminologies are quite easy to understand, like temperature and rainfall. Others are a bit more confusing, because these terms seem to refer to the same thing. Although, in reality, this is not the case. For example, when the weather reporter talks about wind and gust, he or she is actually referring to two different things. This guide will help you learn more about the differences between the two.
Generally speaking, wind refers to the flow of different gases within a large area. Wind can occur in outer space, like solar wind, or within our earth’s atmosphere. The wind that we experience every now and then when we go out and enjoy the great outdoors, is caused by the combining of hot and cold air, resulting in a difference in atmospheric pressure. This is because hot air is less dense than cold air. Another cause for wind is the constant rotation of the earth as it orbits around the sun. The characteristics of a particular area will also influence the strength of the wind. It is for this reason that you may only feel a breeze when you leave your home, but then begin to really feel the strength of the wind when you go downtown, and are surrounded by towering skyscrapers.
All gusts are a type of wind. A gust is a sudden increase of the wind’s speed that lasts no more than 20 seconds. This usually occurs when wind speeds reach a peak of at least 16 knots. A wind gust usually comes in 2-minute intervals. A wind gust comes quite suddenly and abruptly. There are a number of different reasons for wind gusts to occur. One of the causes for a wind gust is when there is a sudden shift from high pressure to low pressure. Another cause for a wind gust to occur is the terrain. Wind gusts are more frequent in areas where there are extremely tall trees, or man-made infrastructures. As the wind passes around mountains, hills, trees and man-made infrastructures, the speed increases for just a short period of time.
Summary:
1. A gust and wind both refer to the movement of different gases in the earth’s atmosphere around the earth.
2. Wind is created by the difference in atmospheric pressure caused by lighter hot air and denser cold air. On the other hand, gusts are brief increases in the wind’s speed, mainly caused by the wind passing through the terrain.
3. Wind blows in varying speeds throughout the entire day. Gusts only occur for extremely short periods of time, usually lasting no more than just 20 seconds, occurring at 2-minute intervals.