TITLE:
Statistical Analysis of the Average Wind Speeds and Maximum Wind Speed (Gust Winds) at a Location in Abuja, Nigeria
AUTHORS:
Enoch O. Elemo, Efua A. Ogobor, George A. Alagbe, Benjamin G. Ayantunji, Otonye E. Mangete, Oladunjoye S. Tomori, Kemi B. Doherty, Blessing O. Onuh
KEYWORDS:
Wind Speed, Gust Wind, Principal Driver, Harmattan, Gustiness, Gust Factor and Peak Factor
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.8 No.12,
December
6,
2021
ABSTRACT: Wind speed is widely accepted as the principal driver of the Harmattan season in the West African sub region. It does this by bringing in very huge amount of dust through the Northeast part of Nigeria to the whole country as a whole. The presence of dust in the atmosphere plays a prominent role in the rate of absorptions and scatterings of the solar radiation. However, very little or no attention has been given to the study of Gust winds (short duration (in seconds) wind speed maxima) in Nigeria. Wind gusts represent hazards to property, people, energy sector and transport when severe. The relationships between the average wind speeds and maximum wind speed (gust winds) were studied diurnally for each month over a year period (2020). The study showed some particularly unique results which also might be as a result of the location of the station. The seasonal correlations between the wind speeds and gust winds were very obvious: Both parameters had more stronger values during the dry season than during the season, with both also showing a unique trend in January and February with another different trend from March to December. The degrees of gustiness of the location were studied with the introduction of both Gust factor and Peak factor. Peak factor was however found to be by far the better measure of gustiness than the gust wind factor for the location.