'Wind Map' Brings U.S. Wind Patterns To Life (VIDEO)

A pair of Google employees have teamed up to provide a powerful animation of wind patterns in the United States in near real-time.

Wind appears like rivers or streams flowing across the country. The map really needs to be seen firsthand for the full experience (video preview above, click here for full/updated version). On the website, you can zoom in and out on the map, and you can look at previous days' wind patterns in a gallery.

The project was created by Google's Fernanda Viégas and Martin Wattenberg, according to Mashable, which adds that the duo is currently looking for international data sources for a global version.

According to LinkedIn, Viégas and Wattenberg are research scientists and co-leaders of Google's "Big Picture" data visualization group in Cambridge, Mass.

One goal of the wind map, which updates every hour, seems to be raising awareness and support for wind energy. The website hosting the map notes:

An invisible, ancient source of energy surrounds us—energy that powered the first explorations of the world, and that may be a key to the future.

The site includes links to the Wikipedia pages for wind and wind power for more information.

In related news, last week the Obama administration released new wind farm guidelines. On Wednesday, Major League Baseball's Cleveland Indians installed a wind turbine in their stadium.

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Comments

[Sunwyn Ravenwood]

04:08 PM on 04/02/2012

That is awesome. It's a pity that they didn't include Alaska and Hawaii, people are always forgetting about us.

[mynamesyow]

09:48 PM on 04/01/2012

pretty cool...

[firewired]

09:37 PM on 04/01/2012

THIS IS AWESOME! Means more watching it in "real time!" GREAT JOB!!

[aligatorhardt]

08:57 PM on 04/01/2012

This map is hard to read. It has an artistic appeal though. Try this one. NREL: Wind Research - Wind Resource Assessment

[maslin]

04:03 PM on 04/01/2012

Hey, the wind has shifted. Now it appears that Canada is trying to steal all of our wind.

[slarabee]

03:58 PM on 04/01/2012

Pretty cool :-)

[Equinator]

07:58 AM on 04/01/2012

This is great..... o wait.... what is the date today?

Did I once again fall for an April fools joke. The last one I fell for (just for a moment) was the Starbucks pipeline to a store near me.

[maslin]

03:54 AM on 04/01/2012

Wow!

It looks like all the wind in the Western US is wending its way into Montana.

[StinkyMoBub]

11:23 PM on 03/31/2012

The live map is really hypnotic...

[Sh00Fly]

08:12 PM on 03/31/2012

Very cool...People can appreciate this in many ways. One reason as to why I am intrigued is because I've been surfing for most of my life and the wind dictates our swells.

[oldwolf49]

07:53 PM on 03/31/2012

So, lets set up some wind farms in these key locations and shut down all the coal plants.

[BuckyJamesDio]

06:06 PM on 03/31/2012

This blows. ;-)

Seriously, this is incredible. Very interesting to watch.

Good Lord - I'm turning into an old person. I'm watching weather.

*sigh*

[nancy kriescher]

11:04 AM on 04/01/2012

Bucky, Hub's & I listen to Weather radio, alot, it is somewhat soothing in a Rote kind of way..:)

[S Augustyn]

03:06 PM on 03/31/2012

A real-time wind map! What a great educational tool!

[MsMoonpieJD]

10:43 AM on 03/31/2012

Wow! That a trip to be able to see wind.

[sabelmouse]

06:45 AM on 03/31/2012

blow my mind ? it looks like a dogs fur ever so slightly ruffled .