Explaining the Noisier Winter Wind Phenomenon

[nantz]

When a 20 mph summer wind blows past my window I don't hear anything. When a 20 mph cold winter wind blows past my window I hear whistles and howls and moans. Is there an easy explanation for this?
nantz

 

[Ranger Mike]

air is denser in winter and ( this will get me in trouble) sound travels more easily thru dense air vs hot disfussed air..my opinion

 

[Danger]

That was my first thought too. I'm wondering if there might also be more obstruction to the airflow, what with ice build-ups, snowbanks, and the like.

 

[D H]

Rather than more obstructions in winter I suspect it is the other way around: No leaves.

 

[Danger]

That could have something to do with it, but I've noticed the effect in places where we didn't have trees.

 

[Bystander]

Think viscosity.

 

[nantz]

I'm on the 6th floor, no trees, no snowbanks, no ice build-up, no utility wires to vibrate. But it sure is noisy.

 

[Naty1]

Your apparent noise levels are more likely due to different wind directions, depending on where you live and orientation of the window. Along east coast, USA, summer winds are usually from the southern quadrants, winter from the northern. So I hear louder winter wind noise from my northerly facing bedroom window...

I just skimmed Wikipedia on relative humidity:

"Water vapor is a lighter gas than air at the same temperature, so humid air will tend to rise by natural convection. This is a mechanism behind thunderstorms and other weather phenomena.."

If that's accurate, I'm thinking that winter wind IS more dense so at 20 mph has more momentum, hence more force than less dense summer air at the same wind speed...hence it has more force when it does blow against any surface.