When Are Wind Socks Required?

Wind socks are generally viewed as being obsolete due to high-tech electronic devices that display information digitally. But newly designed wind socks have several advantages over newer high-tech gadgets.

Capabilities

• Newly designed wind socks are capable of detecting wind speeds below 1 mph. Not all electronic devices are capable of doing this. A wind sock is also effective at showing wind shear through its actions.

Advantages

• Wind socks are less expensive than newer electronics that are designed to detect wind speed and wind shear. They are easy to set up and can be relocated easily, as many are designed to be portable.

Disadvantages

• Wind socks do not portray the exact wind speed that many electronic devices are capable of detecting. Wind socks can be affected by rain, snow and sleet, which weigh the wind sock down and affect its reaction to wind.

Functions

• Wind socks are effectively used in aviation and when placed on or near runways. Firefighters commonly find wind socks to be an easy way to monitor wind speed and wind shear while fighting fires.

Special Uses

• In airborne chemical situations, wind socks can help with evacuation decisions by determining the real-time direction of harmful substances.