Curious About Wind
A WBZ-TV viewer submitted this Curiosity: What time of day is the wind usually the lightest?
Weather is strongly affected by how stable or unstable the atmosphere is. Stable air means that the weather is likely to be calm. What makes the atmosphere stable or unstable? Picture an invisible box of air called an air parcel. If we compare the temperature of this air parcel to the temperature of air surrounding it, we can tell if it is stable (likely to remain in place) or unstable (likely to move).
For light wind, we generally need little or no movement of pressure systems (highs, lows) or very limited change in such systems. If those circumstances are met...early evening or dawn tend to experience the lightest winds. There is a seasonal tendency toward light winds, especially during the early to mid autumn months
Have you ever gone on a Hot Air Balloon Ride? Do you rememeber getting up early? Generally a balloon launch is not possible when the wind speed exceeds 10 mph. This is why balloon flights occur around dawn or a couple of hours prior to sunset when winds are usually lightest and the air is the most stable.
