Wind.

[Tap]

Wow! Good stuff. I've read all these posts several times as I've tried to incorporate all this great intel into a hunting strategy. Yes, I play the wind, or, to put it truthfully, the wind plays me. So, I don't know what I have to offer to build the conversation. But, that's never stopped me!

Those forecasts you look at before heading to the stand are models, not reality. Wind speeds and directions are collected from point locations, many official NWS point locations of which I think there nearly 100 here in Virginia. Then, some math (a model) is applied to display what the speed and direction might be wherever you are. The accuracy? Some models are better than others. Some work well in certain conditions and not in others.

The National Weather Service reports observed speeds and directions as two-minute averages. If, where you are, the wind is shifty, take a measurement every second and average 120 of those readings. I'm sure you will then find your observations more in line with what you'll find on the web! I'm just kidding....
And just for reference the NWS readings are taken 10 meters above the ground. And that brings up another problem. The reporting stations are, in groups, at different elevations.

I guess my point is, what you see being reported probably isn't exactly what you encounter. Everybody know that, but can we now feel better about it?

Anybody use an anemometer? I hope I get one for Christmas.

Here's my question...If I have a digital elevation model of where I hunt, can I draw some general and/or specific conclusions about what I'm going to experience given whatever factors determine these currents? Temperature? Warming / cooling? Morning / Evening? High pressure / low pressure? I know its hard to think about all of that, and while I'm ready to throw up my hands and wash real good, I'm about to retire. I need something to think about when I'm not doing laundry.

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There are 2 different types of high and low pressure conditions. There are those of weather systems, and there are those that are extremely local due to wind condititions over terrain. For hunting and stand selection purposes, I'm most concerned about those surface pressures and less concerned about weather system pressures.

Again, compare wind behavior to how flowing water behaves in a stream. Use a bolder, ledge or drop in the creek in comparison to a hill or ridge in terrain.
Just upstream of the creek rock, the water will be much less turbulent than the downstream side of the rock. Below the rock, the water swirls and even boils depending on the shape of the rock and velocity of the water flow. The water above the rock is like a high pressure zone in the woods...the wind blows in, hits the hill (the windward side), and results in a high pressure cushion. The wind has to go somewhere, so it usually has an uplift, or blows toward least resistance, but it's usually fairly stable in how it reacts.
Conversely, the downwind or leeward side of the ridge is like the downstream side of the bolder in the stream. There is a low pressure zone that has the wind constantly correcting, switching, swirling and adjusting. Those are the days we think the wind keeps changing all day. The SURFACE wind in the low pressure zones does continually change, but it stays relatively consistent in the high pressure zones. Same day, same winds aloft, but very different surface wind conditions based on wind on terrain and pressure changes.


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[ALwoodsman]

Have you tried that app in hilly terrain?

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I have and it doesn't work. It would be great for flat land though.

 

[Tap]

I have and it doesn't work. It would be great for flat land though.

That was my gut feeling about it. I can't imagine that an app could possibly predict what surface wind will be doing in intricate terrain. There's just way too many variables that effect surface wind for an app to handle it. Those predictions take a lot of experience and history on a piece of hilly ground. Predicting wind is one of the things that I find the most challenging and interesting about bow hunting.

 

[kfab12]

I had a feeling that Huntstand wouldn't work either for the rolling/hilly terrain. In my situation, like woodman said, is flat and it does work really well for me. I suggested Huntstand earlier with hopes it might work for you guys but doesn't sound like it. Interesting listening to your situations though.