Weather Whys: The Winds of North Dakota and beyond

So to start off, one of the big things that causes our winds is pressure differences. And how do these pressure differences start? Well, it’s the unequal heating of the earth that causes the development of high and low pressures. And these high, low pressures, well, they have an impact as winds always flow from high to low pressures. The weaker the pressures the weaker the winds

But as those high and low pressure systems start to strengthen, they start to tighten our pressure gradient along much of the country. And that will help give us stronger winds in the presence of those stronger high in low pressure systems across the state. And that’s where we start to see a jet stream forming. Well, those usually move around high and low pressure systems and really are a signal why our winds are so heavy sometimes.

And that jet stream is right over North Dakota. Expect winds to be heavy, especially if that jet stream can sort of get to the surface with those heavy winds. Another reason we’re a lot windier in North Dakota. Well, we’re mostly flat and that mostly flat terrain makes for winds in the Canadian prairies and upper plains to be a lot heavier than other areas, especially out east where you have the mountains or out west of the mountains or any areas with trees, a lot of trees as well help block and slow down winds. So with us being mostly flat, well, that terrain gives us a little bit more wind.

So we look to Saturday. Why are we so windy? Well, we had a really strong low pressure system up in Canada with a pretty strong high pressure system out in Montana that really tightened our pressure gradient across the region, giving us winds, moving around that low pressure system, funneling into the state. And then we had a cold front in that cold front that helped sort of contribute to those heavy winds. When you have a cold front, there’s quick localized pressure changes and rapid lifting of air, and that leads to the gusty conditions along and behind that cold front as it moved through. So we just had a recipe of heavy winds on Saturday. And then once those fires started, well, they had an easy way to spread with those heavy winds.

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