26-03-2025
Is New York City getting windier? Here's what's causing all the gusty weather
The Brief
The New York City area has experienced persistent gusty winds in recent weeks, with gusts frequently reaching 30-40 mph
Meteorologists say the pattern is caused by tightly packed pressure systems, seasonal changes, and intensified urban wind flow between skyscrapers.
The windy weather is expected to ease by early May, with calmer conditions and possible thunderstorms replacing the current gusts.
If you feel like New York City has been windier than usual… you're not imagining it!
Meteorologists say that the tri-state area has been stuck in a gusty weather pattern that will last all the way into May.
What we know
The New York City area has experienced several weeks of unusually persistent windy weather, with gusts frequently reaching between 30 and 40 mph — considered "near gale" force by the National Weather Service.
"What we've had is several storm systems over the last week or two that have moved across the central United States into the Great Lakes and to the interior or southeastern Canada," said Nelson Vaz, warning coordination meteorologist for the National Weather Service in New York. "And then we've had high pressure off the coast. And in between those two systems… the more tightly [isobars] are packed, the stronger the winds are going to be."
Meteorologist Steven DiMartino, owner of said seasonal change is contributing as well.
"We're having changes in the season, which you would expect for this time of year being spring. This year, because of a lot of different forcing mechanisms — the polar vortex collapse, tropical force — things kind of all over the place is leading to enhancement of the polar and subtropical jet streams. What that basically means for you is that cold front and low pressure systems are a little bit more amped," DiMartino explained.
In urban environments like Manhattan, the effects are intensified.
"What would normally be a 20 mile per hour wind gust ends up being a 40 mile per hour wind gust because that air is being forced in between those two large buildings," said DiMartino.
By the numbers
Average wind gusts this month: 25 to 30 mph (classified as a "strong breeze")
More than half of days this month had gusts in the 30 to 40 mph range ("near gale" force)
What's next
The current gusty pattern should begin to fade in early May, according to meteorologists. After that, occasional breezy days are still possible, but attention will shift to the threat of spring thunderstorms.
"As we move through April into May, you'll just have, you know, an occasional breezy day. But for the most part, things will start to calm down. And then we got to look out for severe thunderstorms," DiMartino said.
The Source
This article was written using information from FOX 5 staff and the National Weather Service.
