Lake Michigan winds

[dlandersson]

Is it just me, or do the winds on southern Lake Michigan appear to die around 12 - 1 pm, then get going again later in the afternoon?

 

[DougM]

thatis a normal phenomenon. the wind drops predictibly right aroun lunchtime, then starts building back up around 1 or 1:30. It will also die in the late afternoon. Often it will shift as well from offshore to onshore as the land heats up, much like a seabreeze.

 

[MJWarner]

During the day, as the sun warms the Earth, rising air currents mix in the upper and lower atmosphere. This brings some of the high-speed wind energy from the upper atmosphere closer to the surface. (Because of friction with the Earth's surface, wind speed usually increases with height.) When the sun sets and the rising air currents stop, due to the lack of solar influx, wind at the surface diminishes.
The exception is when a front in in play during night hours.

 

[dlandersson]

Thank you - this does not really address the wind dying down around noon.

During the day, as the sun warms the Earth, rising air currents mix in the upper and lower atmosphere. This brings some of the high-speed wind energy from the upper atmosphere closer to the surface. (Because of friction with the Earth's surface, wind speed usually increases with height.) When the sun sets and the rising air currents stop, due to the lack of solar influx, wind at the surface diminishes.
The exception is when a front in in play during night hours.