How to Determine Wind Speed With a Wind Cone
A windsock, or wind cone, is a conical textile tube used at airports, among other places where wind speed is important, to determine wind speed visually at a very specific location. Pilots need to read wind cones to pick up on uneven or fast winds during takeoff and landing. The more horizontal the cone, the faster the wind is blowing.
Wind cones only determine relative wind speed, but you can calibrate its rings with an anemometer, or wind speed indicator. Then you'll have close to the accuracy of an anemometer while being able to read wind speed from far away.
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Instructions
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Install a windsock by pounding its pole into the ground and attaching the windsock according to the instructions. Make sure to purchase a windsock that is striped so that you can calibrate it.
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Purchase a hand-held electronic anemometer. Target and hardware stores sell them.
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Determine how far the windsock extends in different speeds of wind, over the course of several windy days. The wind cone is marked with rings. The aim is to determine how many rings out the sock extends for a given wind speed.
For example, when the wind keep the sock stably extended out four rings, walk out to the windsock, hold up the anemometer near the sock and take a wind reading. Be sure to point the anemometer in the same direction as the windsock. Then record the wind speed next to the ring count of four.
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Compile a complete list of wind speeds for all the rings. The FAA standards for windsocks direct that they be fully extended at 17 mph (15 knots). So with five or six rings, the wind speed range will be only 2 or 3 mph per ring. Therefore, multiple readings won't add much accuracy to your identifying a ring with an air speed. One reading per ring should suffice.
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