What is high winds for football?
Studies show that winds of over 18 mph alter the course of direction of the football, whether it's thrown or kicked. And in college football, teams are slightly less successful when throwing in strong winds making interception rates are higher. On average, shorter passes are thrown and fewer field goals are attempted.
Microbursts of between 10 and 15 mph could send a football flying a dozen yards or more to the right or left of its intended target.
The NFL's average expected field goal percentage is 88.8% when wind speeds are over 20 mph. When the speeds are less than 10 mph, the xFG% drops to 83.5%.
8-12 Mph 12-19 kph 7-10 knots Gentle Breeze Leaves and small twigs move, light weight flags extend. Large wavelets, crests start to break, some whitecaps. 13-18 Mph 20-28 kph 11-16 knots Moderate Breeze Small branches move, raises dust, leaves and paper.
Breezy is described as a sustained wind speed from 15-25 mph. Windy is a sustained wind speed from 20-30 mph. What makes a very windy day? Sustained winds between 30-40 mph.
Running in 5mph wind: potentially 10 seconds per mile, though most won't notice it. Running in 10 mph wind: 20 seconds per mile. Running in 15 mph wind: 30 seconds per mile. Running in 20 mph wind: up to 1 minute per mile.
As you can see, a 20 mph crosswind will send a straight shot 81 feet to the side, that is a full 27 yards to the side! Make sure you are aware of this so you can sufficiently allow for it when you are next on the course.
Unlike baseball, the NFL generally plays through even the coldest and most precipitous of weather unless such weather makes the stadium unusable or it becomes unsafe for spectators to attend the match.
| Beaufort number | Description | Speed |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Gentle Breeze | 8 to 12 mph |
| 4 | Moderate Breeze | 13 to 18 mph |
| 5 | Fresh Breeze | 19 to 24 mph |
| 6 | Strong Breeze | 25 to 31 mph |
Sustained wind speeds of 21 to 25 mph, or frequent wind gusts of 30 to 35 mph. " A Very Low Threat to Life and Property from High Wind." "Breezy" to "Windy" conditions.
Is a 25 mile wind strong?
- at 25 to 31 mph, large branches will be in motion, whistling will be heard in overhead wires, and umbrella use becomes difficult if not impossible. - at 32 to 38 mph, whole trees will be in motion. You'll experience some difficulty when walking into the wind.
Strong winds can cause the quarterback (QB) to not be able to throw the ball where they want to or make a field goal attempt to miss badly. Studies have shown that as winds become stronger than 18 mph, the flight of a thrown or kicked ball is altered.
Football, at both the club and international levels, has often been forced to succumb to the elements—to heat, wind, rain and, at least on one occasion, to volcanoes. Following are 20 instances of weather wreaking havoc on football matches.
20ft Winds
Is defined as sustained winds averaged over a 10 minute period and measured 20 feet above the average height of nearby vegetation. This is the standard reported by the Remote Automated Weather Stations(RAWS) owned by land management agencies and used in the National Fire Danger Rating System (NFDRS).
Hurricane winds - 130 to 160 mph gusts 170+ mph: Devastating damage is expected. Most of the area will be uninhabitable for weeks, perhaps longer.
People living in mobile homes are especially at risk for injury and death. Even anchored mobile homes can be seriously damaged when winds gust over 80 mph.