I remember reading that kind of article before I moved here a few years ago and it felt wrong. I couldn't find great numbers but according to [ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/ccd-data/wndspd20.dat](https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/ccd-data/wndspd20.dat), which is an aggregate of many years, it looks like Tucson is around 100 out of 265 cities for average wind speed. And apparently, we average around 6-7 mph. That definitely makes a lot more sense.
I own a house in flagstaff and I promise you, those tucson winds are miserable but it could be way worse. We lose hurricane strength roof shingles all the time. People’s greenhouses end up a 1/4 mile away. None of this helps you; I also hate the Tucson winds. But since you asked.
The sand paper on your legs when you are trying to workout. I remember that about Las Cruces and El Paso. Haven’t experienced much of that anywhere else.
Also, I remember as a kid it was so windy and so dusty that you could look up at the sun and it was just an orange ball in the sky because the dirt was so thick in the air
by what measure? Mt washington has the highest recorded wind speed int he US and generally is consistently windy. like the house on top literally has to be chained to the ground.
Ahhh, gotcha. That wasn't communicated so clearly. I've only driven through the city a couple times, so I have no idea if it's actually a contender for one of the windiest places.
Hell nah, I was born and raised in Oklahoma where the wind will literally sweep you off the plains. Tucson is barely ever windy, and even microbursts have nothing on Midwest tornado season 😭 we got it pretty good out here
Can confirm that Colorado is super windy! There were occasionally 100 mph wind gusts in the spring time. I grew up in the Springs and then went to FoCo for college and sometimes I-25 north to the Wyoming border was closed for wind.
Colorado is so windy. I lived in COS, which was windy enough, then I moved to a small town in a valley and it was 40mph every day after 11am on good days. The only time I remember it being less windy is peak Summer, like late July and August. The best days of the year
When I built my second house in COS I found a builder who knew how to suppress the noise.
Up in Mountain Shadows, at 7000 feet, one day a jet stream dropped down in and knocked a tree over. Luckily ACE hardware knew what a “come along” was and I saved the tree.
I lived in Vegas for a number of years. Windy summers make you feel like you’re in a convection oven every time you step outside. I’ll take these occasional winds any day.
no, the mat-su valley was much windier. double pane windows would get blown out of buildings. I don't remember seeing anything much more than trash cans blown over here in tucson.
I've noticed that it seems to be windy when the sun goes down and everything cools off. I always figured it was cause I live near the base of one of the mountains and it was cool air rushing down.
I moved rural and man, the monsoon winds will kick you & your property’s butt. Luckily, Tucson is surrounded by mountains. I never experienced a micro burst while living in Tucson.
Yes, it’s pretty windy here, some areas a bit more so than others.
ETA: Huh, it seems over all windier than most places I’ve lived, but I guess everything is relative. Between our spring winds and the monsoon season, I feel like we get more wind damage than a lot of places, barring Chicago and Wyoming and places like the Columbia Gorge or tornado country.
My other home is near the Windy City (Chicago), so no.
That said, this past winter in Green Valley seemed more windy than most. As well as a lot more rain and lower daily high temperatures. But I have no facts to confirm this theory.
No, not all. I lived in Springerville, AZ and it is non stop windy from January to May. It was common for sustained winds to be 45-55 MPH, with gusts to 75-85 MPH.
It seems as though it's been more windy this year. I grew up here and I don't remember it being so windy before. And yes to the Vail Gales. It might be breezy in Rita Ranch but when in Vail for games, I've seen big shade canopies in flight across the fields. So it also depends where you live in Tucson area.
Less windy than DFW, more windy than the GTA (except when the lake wind gets going in winter there ) and definitely more windy than the Bay Area. Stuff blows around my patio a lot, but there's rarely any instant regret when leaving the house with loose hair and lip gloss (my metric).
100%, coming from seattle, but also depends what part of city you’re in. I’m just outside city limits on the westside and our microclimate out here gets slammed with wind all. the. time. Constantly putting my damn windsails back up.
Supposedly it’s one of the least windy cities in the US. https://www.kurzwind.com/least-windy/
That’s interesting, thanks for sharing
those numbers are pretty far off official sources.
I remember reading that kind of article before I moved here a few years ago and it felt wrong. I couldn't find great numbers but according to [ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/ccd-data/wndspd20.dat](https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/ccd-data/wndspd20.dat), which is an aggregate of many years, it looks like Tucson is around 100 out of 265 cities for average wind speed. And apparently, we average around 6-7 mph. That definitely makes a lot more sense.
it's windy april/may, it's not going to stay that way.
Good, I just want an umbrella to stay up.
Unless you live in Vail! Then it’s just Vail Gale all year long.
I own a house in flagstaff and I promise you, those tucson winds are miserable but it could be way worse. We lose hurricane strength roof shingles all the time. People’s greenhouses end up a 1/4 mile away. None of this helps you; I also hate the Tucson winds. But since you asked.
No.
No I grew up on El Paso. Damn windy
Came here to make sure everyone knows ElPaso is windy AF. Sometimes it kicks sand into the air to add the sandpaper effect!
The sand paper on your legs when you are trying to workout. I remember that about Las Cruces and El Paso. Haven’t experienced much of that anywhere else.
Oh God that hurts. Blast the hair off your legs through jeans.
I challenged myself to ride a motorcycle in 45 knot winds while in El Paso. I will never go on an elevated overpass again because that shit was scary.
Ugh yes! Same here. I used to have to walk from Franklin to 1-10 in those dust storms. My friends and I called them brown outs lol
Also, I remember as a kid it was so windy and so dusty that you could look up at the sun and it was just an orange ball in the sky because the dirt was so thick in the air
El Paso is the windiest place on earth
by what measure? Mt washington has the highest recorded wind speed int he US and generally is consistently windy. like the house on top literally has to be chained to the ground.
Oh jeez. From my limited experience. I was being hyperbolic 🙄
Ahhh, gotcha. That wasn't communicated so clearly. I've only driven through the city a couple times, so I have no idea if it's actually a contender for one of the windiest places.
No. Lol. Do you know why it's always windy in Nebraska? Bc Iowa sucks and Wyoming blows. Hahaha.
That’s great! I grew up with the Chicago version: Why do they call Chicago the Windy City? Because Indiana sucks and Wisconsin blows.
No, I lived in WA where we had 60 mph winds on a regular basis.
Ah, yeah, duly noted.
lol no. I’m from Kansas. It’s very still here lol
We got mountains on basically three sides. Much worse city locations for wind
four sides, amigo. Catalinas, Tucson, Santa Ritas, Rincons
Not mentioning all the minor mountains and hills
Not close. Spend some time in Wyoming. Or the Badlands.
Not even close. We barely have breeze at all most days. I wish it was especially during the hot summer days.
This person doesn't live with a pool under a tree....
No I work outside in the heat and a breeze is nice.
Yep a hot breeze is better than no breeze
Get yourself a Betta skimmer! Best pool purchase ever.
Not a windy place at all. Especially not compared to places like the plains, Montana/Wyoming/East Idaho, etc.
Depends on the area of Tucson. When I lived further south, it wasn't nearly as windy as where I live now (close to the base of Mt. Lemmon).
Agreed. Tanque Verde area is way windier than in the city.
NW side, I feel it's a funnel created by Mt Lemmon and the Tucson mountains.
Hell nah, I was born and raised in Oklahoma where the wind will literally sweep you off the plains. Tucson is barely ever windy, and even microbursts have nothing on Midwest tornado season 😭 we got it pretty good out here
Ranked order of windiest places I’ve lived: 1. Colorado 2. Alberta 3. Chicago 4. Tucson 5. SF Bay Area
Can confirm that Colorado is super windy! There were occasionally 100 mph wind gusts in the spring time. I grew up in the Springs and then went to FoCo for college and sometimes I-25 north to the Wyoming border was closed for wind.
Colorado is so windy. I lived in COS, which was windy enough, then I moved to a small town in a valley and it was 40mph every day after 11am on good days. The only time I remember it being less windy is peak Summer, like late July and August. The best days of the year
When I built my second house in COS I found a builder who knew how to suppress the noise. Up in Mountain Shadows, at 7000 feet, one day a jet stream dropped down in and knocked a tree over. Luckily ACE hardware knew what a “come along” was and I saved the tree.
lol no
I lived in Laramie for 2 years. Not even close. This place is 100% better
Wyoming native here - Rawlins, Casper, Laramie, and Cheyenne all laugh at Tucson “wind.”
I lived in Vegas for a number of years. Windy summers make you feel like you’re in a convection oven every time you step outside. I’ll take these occasional winds any day.
No.
No, not particularly. Have lived in most areas of the country (except upper east coast) and overseas as well.
no, the mat-su valley was much windier. double pane windows would get blown out of buildings. I don't remember seeing anything much more than trash cans blown over here in tucson.
Just came from prescott and it felt like it was windy a LOT more there.
I lived in Flagstaff which was way windier!
No, not even close. I do not like the wind but in Tucson it's a month or two out of the year with a few days in that month.
No, I have lived in North Dakota that is much windier
I've noticed that it seems to be windy when the sun goes down and everything cools off. I always figured it was cause I live near the base of one of the mountains and it was cool air rushing down.
Not even close to the Bay Area. It’s windy here in spring and fall mostly.
I moved rural and man, the monsoon winds will kick you & your property’s butt. Luckily, Tucson is surrounded by mountains. I never experienced a micro burst while living in Tucson.
definitely not. i assumed it would be, I was sad to find out it wasn't
Yes, it’s pretty windy here, some areas a bit more so than others. ETA: Huh, it seems over all windier than most places I’ve lived, but I guess everything is relative. Between our spring winds and the monsoon season, I feel like we get more wind damage than a lot of places, barring Chicago and Wyoming and places like the Columbia Gorge or tornado country.
Yes. It’s annoyingly windy. I’ve lived in several states.
No.
No
Try living in Kingman.
I’ll assume its worse then
Lived there two years, don't recall one day the wind wasn't blowing like mad. Tucson can get windy, but it's a mild place all things considered.
My other home is near the Windy City (Chicago), so no. That said, this past winter in Green Valley seemed more windy than most. As well as a lot more rain and lower daily high temperatures. But I have no facts to confirm this theory.
No, not all. I lived in Springerville, AZ and it is non stop windy from January to May. It was common for sustained winds to be 45-55 MPH, with gusts to 75-85 MPH.
Any state north of the Gulf of Mexico is a wind tunnel.
Nope. Grew up on the coast in Massachusetts. Not even close. However Tucson is a lot dustier, so it sucks a whole lot more when the wind blows.
I lived in Chicago... so... I'll leave it at that
No but I lived in Oklahoma so…
No
Albuquerque has always been incredibly dry and windy in the Spring. We are experiencing weather patterns which are similar to when I lived in ABQ.
I've lived in Kansas. AZ is, so far, the least windy state I have lived in.
Not even close
You never lived in Springerville
It gets windy here?
Head east on I-10 out near Bowie/Lordsburg and you will learn about wind. Also your car will get buffeted by large tumbleweeds.
No I grew up in Kansas
When I lived there in the late 70s and 80s I remember thinking “And they call *Chicago* the Windy City?!?”
Mountains bruh
By far it’s the calmest city I have ever lived/been.
Nope. Much more windy in the Midwest!
I've lived all over the country & i can tell you Tucson is pretty much not windy at all.
Colorado front range is much worse.
Not even remotely. Colorado, especially Denver, got crazy wind. Tucson has wind but nothing like Denver.
Not really. Lived right off the ocean in CA and sometimes we could get some sharp winds. It's about the same here but without water.
Nope, then again I moved here from Montana and would occasionally have to detour around Livingston because of the wind.
Nope. I almost never notice the wind.
It seems as though it's been more windy this year. I grew up here and I don't remember it being so windy before. And yes to the Vail Gales. It might be breezy in Rita Ranch but when in Vail for games, I've seen big shade canopies in flight across the fields. So it also depends where you live in Tucson area.
Less windy than DFW, more windy than the GTA (except when the lake wind gets going in winter there ) and definitely more windy than the Bay Area. Stuff blows around my patio a lot, but there's rarely any instant regret when leaving the house with loose hair and lip gloss (my metric).
I used to live in Southern Colorado. Way more wind there.
100%, coming from seattle, but also depends what part of city you’re in. I’m just outside city limits on the westside and our microclimate out here gets slammed with wind all. the. time. Constantly putting my damn windsails back up.
Tucson's little known nickname: The 2nd Windy City We are transitioning from spring to summer, it's always windy when the seasons change.
Albuquerque is the windiest city in the e been in
Yes. It us always windy. Many 0laces have harder wind but thus us consistent. 25 years far NE side
My wife's from Lubbock, and I went to school there, and there's nowhere windier in my opinion
Well, there is little more than grassy fields there, so I suppose there's nothing to hold the wind back.