How to use the wind speed at height calculator
Estimate the wind speed at a higher height from a reference speed using the wind shear power law. Enter wind speed at reference height, reference height, target height, shear exponent in the fields above; the wind speed at target height, speed gain are computed instantly and plotted on the chart so you can see how the answer changes.
Common searches this calculator answers include “wind speed at height”, “wind shear exponent”, “wind profile power law”, “calculate wind speed at height”, “find wind speed at target height”.
Formula
Variables
- v1 — Wind speed at reference height (m/s)
- h1 — Reference height (m)
- h2 — Target height (m)
- alpha — Shear exponent
Worked example
With wind speed at reference height = 5 m/s, reference height = 10 m, target height = 80 m, shear exponent = 0.14, the calculator gives wind speed at target height ≈ 6.689638 m/s; speed gain ≈ 33.79276 %.
Frequently asked questions
What is the wind speed at height calculator used for?
Estimate the wind speed at a higher height from a reference speed using the wind shear power law. It helps with questions such as “wind speed at height”, “wind shear exponent”, “wind profile power law”.
What is the formula for the wind speed at height calculation?
Wind speed at target height (m/s) = v1 × (h2 / h1)^alpha. Speed gain (%) = ([Wind speed at target height] / v1-1) × 100. Here v1 is wind speed at reference height (m/s), h1 is reference height (m), h2 is target height (m), alpha is shear exponent.
What inputs do I need for the wind speed at height (power law) calculator?
You need wind speed at reference height in m/s, reference height in m, target height in m, shear exponent. Each field is pre-filled with a typical example so you can see how the result responds as you edit the numbers.
How do I use the wind speed at height calculator?
Type values into the input fields. Results and the chart update instantly. Use Reset to restore the example values, Copy results to paste them elsewhere, or Share to copy a link that preserves your inputs.
Is the wind speed at height result exact?
Calculations use standard formulas and double-precision arithmetic, then display about seven significant figures. Real-world measurements carry uncertainty, so treat results as estimates unless your inputs are exact.