Wind speeds for our several dust storms?

phil · Post by **phil** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 11:25 am

Anybody know?

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 12:28 pm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaufort_scale

phil · Post by **phil** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 12:30 pm

Usually you provide dead-on, helpful answers.

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 2:51 pm

Frankly, I'm not sure I'd trust hand-held or low-to-the-ground devices subject to interference from surrounding RVs & art piles more than I'd trust an observational wind scale that's been in use for 200 years. Did you see any fake trees swaying, or plastic leaves blowing off? Harder than normal to walk? Probably as valid as translating data from the tower-mounted anemometer in Gerlach to the playa conditions.

phil · Post by **phil** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 3:03 pm

Did you see any fake trees swaying, or plastic leaves blowing off?

Yeah, from the camp across the street. :->

I'm not sure I'd trust hand-held or low-to-the-ground devices

True, but Burning Man is full of true geeks; plus, the airport has usually reliable readings that I would trust.

I'll bet people will post answers on Monday - most people read ePlaya at work. :->

barnz · Post by **barnz** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 3:56 pm

At the tail end of one one the storms (once our shade structure had been thoroughly destroyed and there was no reason not to have a walk) I came across a fella with a nice looking wind turbine, and he had a multimeter hooked up to it, taking readings.

I said "so how strong is the wind?"

He said "I have no idea, but I'm pulling in 6 amps!!!"

Hangin'Chad · Post by **Hangin'Chad** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 8:05 pm

I just took a look at the scale Bob posted. Most of the definitions aren't very useful for the desert, lol.

Still, depending on how Beaufort defined "light structure damage" or how he'd classify pop-up canopies, I'd say my initial guess of circa 40 mph for Friday evening just before the rain wasn't too far off.

Our "light structure" was damaged in the first Friday blow, and would have been broken on another side if we hadn't been holding it up during the second storm.

Whatever it read "officially", here's hoping next year brings us Burners better weather for our one week in our own environment!

sputnik · Post by **sputnik** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 8:09 pm

I thought the weather was fantastic! Loved the dust. Loved the heat. Loved the drizzle.

No problem with my shade or my tent.

barnz · Post by **barnz** » Sun Sep 09, 2007 8:01 pm

sputnik wrote:I thought the weather was fantastic! Loved the dust. Loved the heat. Loved the drizzle.

No problem with my shade or my tent.

Well, after two storms and two destructions of our shade structure, a neighbor who was hit with one our camp signs that had blown away (always nice to create moop with your name emblazoned on it

). When he brought it back, he had crossed out "Camp Monkey Fresh" and sharpied in "CAMP CONVERTIBLE."

We still loved the weather, too.

ron5657 · Post by **ron5657** » Sun Sep 09, 2007 8:26 pm

I don't know how strong the winds were but it was enough to snap 3 legs of our gazebo lol. p/s don't use walmart stakes, they hold great but they don't come out easy. They bend making it almost impossible to remove. You need a shovel to dig them out.