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I remember once a weatherman giving a specific wind speed necessary for a flag to fly horizontal, straight out from the pole.
What speed does it take for a flag to do that? Is it 23 mph?
Just wondering, Manja in Ogden
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Wind speeds are imporant when planning anything outside from barbeques to a game of frisbee. Flags will start to move a little bit when the wind is about 3 mph. By 8 to 12 mph, the flag should be at a 45 degree angle. 15 to 20 the flag should be out at a 90 degree angle or horizontal as you would say. Greater than 20 mph, the flag will be full out horizontally and whipping around.
So yes, at 23 mph, it will be out full, but it should also be out at 20 mph as well. What's also fun is knowing your direction relative to the flags outside on a pole. Then you can figure out the wind direction and watch for shifts when frontal systems come through.
Vexillology is the scientific study of flags.
Answered by KSL Meteorologist Dina Freedman
