I noticed that a number of the TV reporters covering Hurricane Frances were using wind-speed gauges of various types to measure the wind speed, even while they were on camera. Some guy would be barely able to stand up in the wind and his wind gauge would be saying the wind is 25 mph.

Our own experience with handheld wind gauges is that they seem to be very inaccurate, showing wind speed that is quite obviously below what it really is.

In the Keys, when I could barely stand up in what was obviously wind over 40, our high-tech, digital, handheld wind gauge would rarely report over 15, with maybe gusts to 18.

Does anybody know which one(s) are the most accurate?

Many years ago we had a very simplistic handheld wind gauge that had a little ball in it that the wind would blow up in the vertical tube to show various wind levels. I don't know how accurate it was, but I'm sure it could not have been worse than the high-tech ones that we have tried.

The wind speed indicators made by Kestral are the best. We use them as backup equipment and in field operations for the US military. I noticed the Weather Channel's Ms. Abrahms was using the exact unit we use. It also measures atmospheric pressure temp/dewpoint, RH%, etc. Well worth the money spent.

Bob

I agree with Bob - I have the Kestrel 3000. We use them in my job, too, when monitoring and logging weather conditions during hazardous waste site clean-up. I saw them rated very poorly in a sailing magazine recently, but I love mine. Pop-in replacement rotors are available, but mine's been fine for about four years now.

Mary - I think the instruments are accurate. I also think some of those reporters are going for an Oscar.

Guess we're next up here in the Panhandle if the system gets moving again...

If they were going for an Oscar, I think they would report the wind as being more than it actually is, not less.

Since I am not at home in Florida right now, I appreciate the news coverage, and I can see through all the exaggerations and the inaccuracies.

I just hope it is not like Andrew, where everybody thought the damage was not that great until they discovered what had happened in Homestead.

Mary,
I was watching that same report. I was thinking that it was user error and gusty, shifty wind that produced the low readings. You gotta hold i in the correct manner to get a correct reading. (?)

Well, then we must be guilty of user error, too, because we have never been able to get an accurate reading. And the wind wasn't gusty or shifty. Guess we will have to try a Kestrel.

If your near a telltale or windvane, try orienting your equipment with this. If your angle of attack is off even slightly, your measurements will be off tremendously. Or even try rotating your rist slowly through the wind like an oscillating fan and your fastest reading will be very close to the true speed. Thats been my luck with them.

Reid Rechel
Minneapolis, MN
n5.2

To always be near a telltale, one could be fixed to the device. Have a longish telltale as the device causes vortices and you really don't want that

//Patrik

I like my Kestrel.

I have used a Davis Instruments "Wind Wizard" for years and it always seemed to be very accurate.

Hi Mary,

I have the Davis Turbo Meter. I purchased this from Defender Marine about 10 years ago, and it's still going strong. I was with a friend, and as we were drving from Defender I held it out the car window. When the car was doing 55, the meter read 60, at 30 it read 35, at 10 it read 15. I was intially disappointed in this steady 5mph "error". Then we stopped, and it read 5 mph! Oh yeah, I guess the wind was 5 mph in our face. We turned around and tried it again, and this time it read 5 mph low...

Seems pretty accurate to me!

Good luck

Steve

Like Steve, I have had found the Davis Turbo Meter to be extremely accurate and I have had mine for 20 years, having purchased it right after they became available. I took it to Australia when we competed in the Tasar Worlds in Sydney in 1984 and shocked an Australian Naval officer when he was showing his off to a group of people while bragging how the navy had the latest equipment not available to the public. Then I pulled mine out of my pocket and held it up next to his and watched his amazed face. It was great and it convinced the Aussies that anything was readily available in the U.S.! The only problem with the instrument has always been its sensitivity to the battery contacts corroding. It must be kept dry and stored without batteries inside even for short periods and it is a battery hog since it uses LEDs instead of the current LCD technology. But it is very accurate. Maybe new ones are better; For current info see here:
http://www.weathershop.com/davis_turbometer.htm

For taking an accurate instrument on the water without concern, my favorite is the Speedtech Skymate model. For a view of it and more info, see: http://www.speedtech.com/asp/prodtype.asp?prodtype=38

My model has temp and wind chill built in and is the second unit I have owned. The first one had a slide off cover but the new version is better as the cover pivots off and acts as a handle instead of jangling around in the breeze. It is nearly as accurate as the Davis but much, much more robust and is waterproof. It is well worth the cost if you want an accurate, reliable wind instrument. The impeller unit can even be replaced if necessary just by popping the bad one out and the new one in. The company is very good for customer service also which is why I purchased the newer model. I think they just keep adding features - they have been at the Chicago Strictly Sail boat show for many years up until this year which is how I became so familiar with the products and the company.

We also purchased a very cool looking, James Bond - like wind speed indicator, temp and wind chill gauge, chronogragh and timer, and barometer on a wrist watch - like instrument from the company but it is not as accurate and we have ended up using it very little; for more info, see here: http://www.speedtech.com/asp/prodtype.asp?prodtype=6

Mike

Hello Mary

I use a Brunton Sherpa. I would like to say I did a lot of research but to tell the truth it was purchased to use up an "In Store Credit" when the store went out of buisness.

I have owned several of these things and this one and a Kestrel MECHANICAL ANALOG meter are the only ones that stand up to the casual abuse I give them.

Actually I don't use them much anymore. I have my own wind system:

STAY ON SHORE
BORING
FUN
BREAKING THINGS
BREAKING EXPENSIVE THINGS

Unless I start doing RC again, I find this adequate for my needs

I use the Sherpa, too. It's been very tough and seems accurate, even after running it through the washing machine. I just dried it out and it came back to life with no sign that it had ever been drown.

I have a Speedtech (the one that doesn't care which way you point it -- rather expensive) and that is the one Mary is complaining about.
She and I were getting blown off our dock trying to stand there and the best it read was 15 knots.
I sort of believed it. Until the next day I drove down the road at 50 mph and held it out the window -- still 15 knots.

On the other hand at this past Wave Nationals it was howling and it was reading over 20. Must have fixed itself.
Rick