How to Determine Average Wind Speed
You can calculate average wind speed over the course of a day or a week with a handheld electronic anemometer, taking readings periodically and then averaging them. For greater accuracy, though--for example, if you need to know if the wind blows sufficiently to warrant installing wind turbines--you can install a "wind totalizer," a turbine that functions like a car odometer. It accumulates all the miles of wind passage over a span of weeks or months. Also, you can adjust its height to compare wind passage at different levels where you're considering placing a wind turbine.
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Instructions
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Acquire a wind totalizer. Companies that sell wind turbines also rent totalizers because they bring customers one step closer to buying their product.
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Install the wind totalizer according to the instructions that come with it. Locate it away from obstacles that could diminish wind speed. If you are interested in eventually getting a wind turbine, consult with the company from which you acquired the totalizer for advice on locating it. For example, a turbine placed just above a house's roof line benefits from faster wind speeds that result from the building forcing wind to go around it. Also, face the totalizer in the direction of maximum wind, since most turbines don't pivot with the wind.
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Record the totalizer's initial gauge reading; let the totalizer run for days, months or entire seasons; and record the final gauge reading. Divide the difference of the two mileage readings by the number of hours the gauge ran to determine average wind speed.
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Tips & Warnings
One model, the 2100 Totalizer, retails for about $400.
According to various sources, such as UtilityFree.com, the minimum average speed for a wind turbine to make economic sense is around 8 or 9 mph.
