If you read the title of this column and the jukebox area of your brain that stores song lyrics has you humming the 1967 hit song:” Windy” by The Association; I apologize. Your brain jumped the gun. This column is not about that song.

Instead, I was driven to write about the wind. Recently the ”flurry” of snowstorms we experienced had to share the weather predictions with reports of the intense winds that hit our community.

During the seemingly endless winter weather advisories that hit our area, the weather reports across the nation were letting us know that a series of window-rattling gusts of wind were sweeping from the West and bearing down on us.

It turns out that people have been intrigued by the weather patterns of wind for centuries. I consulted with Gus T. Tymes, author of “Thar She Blows”, to learn how wind can range from the gentle breezes that wafts through the leaves of trees in your backyard to the massive hurricanes and tornadoes that wreak havoc on our cities.

Basically, wind patterns are part of our dynamic ever-changing atmosphere. In simple terms, the movement of air from high pressure areas to low pressure areas generates wind. That movement is dependent on several factors that are ever changing as our environment changes. Solar heating and the accompanying temperature differences are the main factors of wind. It is the uneven heating of the Earth’s surface by the sun that causes solar heating. The temperature differences that affect the strength of wind surfaces such as water, land and vegetation absorb and release heat at various rates. The various surfaces thereby create temperature gradients or differences. That leads to the larger pressure differences that you can see on the weather map. Warmer air tends to rise creating areas of low pressure while cooler air sinks leading to areas of high pressure. It is this movement from high to low pressure that generates wind.

 Another factor in causing wind patterns is known as the pressure gradient force. It is the force that drives air from high pressure areas to low pressure areas. The greater the difference in pressure between these two regions the stronger the gradient pressure force and consequently the stronger the wind.

Higher temperatures allow the wind flowing through the atmosphere to absorb more water and thus increase humidity. Atmospheric instability occurs when warm moist air rises and meets dryer cooler air. This leads to an unstable situation resulting in thunderstorms and even tornadoes. 

Recently our area was hit with a variety of windstorms, snowstorms, ice and other phenomena that made it seem like we were living on the frozen tundra. In one week, we experienced three bouts of wind driven snow that often led to the ice melting only to refreeze the next day. From my window I could see the ice-covered branches of the trees in my backyard. At night when the wind picked up I heard the ice crackling. Fortunately, none of my trees fell down.

Global warming has certainly changed weather patterns in the United States. It was rare that we heard of California having snowstorms and the northeast being hit by tornadoes. When the climate is right, we can hear the acceleration of the gusts of wind. 

During those times we certainly realize that everyone knows it’s windy. Cherish is the word I use to describe when the weather cooperates  and we can enjoy the great outdoors. And if I just triggered that juke box in your brain again, “Cherish” was another hit song by The Association.

Hudson Cooper is a resident of Sullivan County, a writer, comedian and actor.