Windy Days on St. Patrick's Day

Average wind speed reported from MSP International Airport
on St Patrick's Day, March 17th (1945-1999)

Year        Ave Wind Speed     Year   Ave Wind Speed
                 (mph)                    (mph)
1945*           15.8           1946*       12.4
1947             9.7           1948         5.9
1949            11.7           1950        16.6
1951**           8.3           1952**      13.6
1953            10.9           1954        14.5
1955**          16.4           1956         8.9
1957             9.7           1958        10.7
1959             8.4           1960         9.0
1961            10.9           1962         6.9
1963*           13.8           1964        14.5
1965**          20.1           1966*       16.4
1967            11.3           1968        17.4
1969             7.6           1970         7.5
1971             4.6           1972         8.7
1973            11.8           1974**       6.7
1975            12.0           1976         8.4
1977**          13.9           1978        11.2
1979            15.4           1980        12.3
1981            15.8           1982         5.6
1983**          10.3           1984        14.5
1985             9.2           1986         9.0
1987            20.2           1988         9.8
1989**          11.3           1990**      18.3
1991             7.2           1992        12.3
1993             6.8           1994        14.1 
1995            10.9           1996        10.3
1997            10.3           1998**      12.7
1999 preliminary ave wind speed 19.8 mph (3rd highest)
and a wind gust to 46 mph.
NOTE: * indicates rain and ** indicates snow on those dates

St Patrick's Day of 1965 and 1987 were certainly the windiest
based on average wind speed, though probably not significantly 
different from 1999. Wind advisories, based on sustained wind
speeds of 30 mph for at least an hour or gusts to 45 mph, were
undoubtedly issued for St Patrick's Day in all three years. In 
1965 over 11 inches of snow fell along and was blown around by
the strong winds.  1987 and 1999 had strong winds but were dry
days.  Fourteen St Patrick's Day celebrations since 1945 have
have seen some form of measurable precipitation (a 25 percent
occurrence), while ten have seen snowfall (an 18 percent 
occurrence). With an average wind speed of 11.7 mph over the
past 55 years, St Patrick's Day certainly qualifies as one of
the windiest celebrations in the state of Minnesota. 

Mark Seeley
Professor and Extension Climatologist
Department of Soil, Water, and Climate
University of Minnesota
St Paul, MN  55108

-

- Return to the Climate Journal

mcwg@soils.umn.edu
URL: http://climate.umn.edu/doc/journal/StPatrick.htm
Last modified: March 19, 1999