Can Extremely Low Wind Speeds Impact Weather Predictions and Climate Models?

AI Thread Summary
Wind can slow to very low velocities, with measurements possible in the 0 to 10 centimeters per second range. At these low speeds, local obstructions like trees, hills, and buildings can significantly impede wind flow, potentially leading to stagnant conditions. The wind velocity spectrum does extend towards zero, indicating that very low wind speeds can occur, although they are often difficult to measure accurately. These low wind conditions are relevant for weather predictions and climate models, particularly in scenarios involving humidity and air parcel behavior over bodies of water. Below speeds of 7 knots, wind direction tends to become variable, complicating predictions and modeling efforts.
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How slow can wind blow on Earth (and elsewhere) before local obstructions (trees, hills, buildings) essentially stop it?

How low a wind velocity can be measured, and does the wind velocity spectrum extend to zero?

I was wondering about wind speeds in the 0 to 10 centimeter/second range. I was recently watching a small trash fire and I noticed the smoke plume was not quite vertical, but a nearby weather station anemometer was motionless. Are very low wind speeds (not stationary) important to weather predictions and climate models? (I'm thinking a very low velocity parcel of air would be more likely to saturate in humidity over a lake as opposed to wind moving over the lake at a higher speed).
 
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