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Can you explain how winds are associated with different fronts moving in? I really enjoy long road bike rides; however, wind is a major factor in road cycling. Headwinds=suffering, Tailwinds=help, and powerful side winds=danger. Can you explain how to figure out which direction the winds will blow? Also, if a meteorologist states that the winds will be out of the "south-west" would that mean that if you traveled "north-east" you would have a tailwind? A good example would be for this weekend; I've been planning to ride my bike from North Salt Lake to Bear Lake. Weather, and specifically the direction of the wind,is my biggest concern.
Thanks for the help,
Jeff W.
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Great question Jeff. First of all, this is a huge question so I hope you don't mind but I am going to point you in the right direction via the web for some of this as well.
Ok so your first question is about fronts, so specifically if we talk about cold fronts we must understand that low pressure moves counter clockwise. Click the first link on the right and check out the diagram. Winds ahead of the cold front will be out of the south or southwest, once that front comes through the winds should shift to the west, northwest or north. Typically they will have a northerly component to them, but it can depend on how fast the front is moving. If it's a slow mover, then it can take a little longer for the winds to rotate around.
If the warm front has gone through and you are stuck in the warm sector of the storm (the area between the cold and warm front) then you can expect southerly winds and increasing moisture.
Areas of high pressure move clockwise, ahead of those, the wind will be out of the north, behing them, southerly and that southerly wind can bring in warmer conditions.
Figuring out wind direction isn't all that easy especially in Salt Lake where the lake breeze kicks in often in the warmer months and then you throw in canyon winds in the evenings and boy, it gets interesting in the mountains. If you are looking at a weather map wind direction can be determined by using those basic principles as listed above, that lows move counter clockwise and highs move clockwise. However, there are other factors that influence the wind too such as local weather and daytime/nighttime fluctuations.
Since you won't have a whole plethora of wind analysis and data at your fingertips while you're on the bike, I'd use a flag pole and orient yourself. Once you know which direction is which you should be able to tell where the wind is coming from.
And Yes, if the wind is blowing from the southwest it would be your tail wind if you were to head northeast. If the wind is blowing from the south and you are going toward the south, expect a lot of wind in your face!
You can get detailed wind forecasts from the National Weather Service to where you are heading, hopefully by preparing ahead of time you will be all set for your ride.
Answered by KSL Meteorologist Dina Freedman.
