Estimating Sustained Winds via Horizontal Rainfall

[Wade12345]

Many people over-estimate winds. For example, when the wind is a 60mph GUST they may incorrectly think they are observing "100mph winds" or when the wind is 100mph, they may incorrectly think they are observing 200mph wind.

However, you can use the shape of a Triangle plus Newton's Gravity to estimate a pretty good measure of the wind speed if it is raining while windy. If the rain is falling about 45 degrees below horizontal then you've just seen a 50mph GUST, which is not even a Severe Thunderstorm Warning yet, which would be 58mph. If the rain is falling about 30 degrees belwo horizontal, you're seeing Hurricane Force sustained winds at 75mph. If the rain is falling 15 degrees below horizontal, then you are seeing Category 2 force winds of about 100mph. If the rain is falling just 12 degrees below horizontal, you are seeing Category 2 winds of 110mph sustained with 3-second gusts to 150mph.

[exitseven]

It makes sense but I notice that this is not a linear function. i forget how to do calculus.

[Wade12345]

It's a transcendental function related to the hyperbolic tangent.

[Wade12345]

As the angle approaches zero (true horizontal) the limit of the wind speed does not exist.

[exitseven]

I get it. thanks.

[strateguy632]

the cause of the angle doesn't match