Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

ASK MR. SUN:

Is Las Vegas windier than Chicago?

Sun Topics

On those days when the Mojave Hairdryer is set to high — 110 degrees with a breeze — Las Vegas can seem a very windy place. Relatively speaking, it’s not.

The city’s average annual wind speed is 9.2 mph, which experts say puts us in the “average” category.

Chicago is windier, with a 10.4 mph average annual wind speed — though not the windiest city, nicknames notwithstanding.

Experts say the plains states, because of the flat terrain, see the most sustained high winds — Dodge City, Kan., for example, averages 14 mph. Coastal areas are close behind — Boston averages winds of 12.5 mph.

Join the Discussion:

Check this out for a full explanation of our conversion to the LiveFyre commenting system and instructions on how to sign up for an account.

Full comments policy