High temperatures, NO wind leave Iowa windmills useless

[NickB79]

4. Predicted almost 3 years ago: Not so windy: Research suggests winds dying down

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/2009-06-10-wind_N.htm

WASHINGTON — The wind, a favorite power source of the green energy movement, seems to be dying down across the United States. And the cause, ironically, may be global warming — the very problem wind power seeks to address.

The idea that winds may be slowing is still a speculative one, and scientists disagree whether that is happening. But a first-of-its-kind study suggests that average and peak wind speeds have been noticeably slowing since 1973, especially in the Midwest and the East.

"It's a very large effect," said study co-author Eugene Takle, a professor of atmospheric science at Iowa State University. In some places in the Midwest, the trend shows a 10% drop or more over a decade. That adds up when the average wind speed in the region is about 10 to 12 miles per hour.

There's been a jump in the number of low or no wind days in the Midwest, said the study's lead author, Sara Pryor, an atmospheric scientist at Indiana University.

Just anecdotal evidence on my part, but ever since I got into target shooting 20 years ago I've noticed there seem to be far more ideal shooting days (ie, little to no wind) than there used to be.