Are you wondering what that tall, thin pole with a colorful cloth ribbon is for? That’s a windsock pole. You might have seen it in a park, an airport or near a helipad.
The windsock pole measures the current wind conditions’ direction as well as its strength. Its shape is specially designed to catch the wind and respond accordingly; it points into the wind so that air flows through the small opening on the windsock’s wider end. As the wind changes directions or speed, the windsock’s position will move as well.
Windsocks come in different colours, and the colours can indicate different things. For instance, an orange windsock is often used to show that a helicopter is taking off or landing nearby, while a white one could mean that the wind is calm, and a storm could be on the way if the windsock is colored black.
Why is wind direction information essential? Several activities, such as flying planes, launching hot air balloons, or even sailing, are directly affected by the wind’s direction and strength. By reading the windsock, pilots and sailors can determine the best takeoff or landing points or even determine whether or not to postpone flight or sail due to harsh weather conditions.
Though you probably never thought much about the windsock pole before, you see now how important its role is to safely execute activities involving wind.