Weather Extremes

[Pat Lamb]

It's strange how "science" (the map) sometimes declares one thing, and yet, sometimes our own experiences (anecdotal evidence) tells us something else.

Got to be careful which science you're looking at.  The map Pete posted is based on science, too, I'd bet; only it's an agglomeration of surface readings.  "Everybody" knows the the wind blows west to east, because their nightly news features a chart of the jet stream.  Probably relevant if you bicycle at 30,000 feet. 

There are "winds aloft" predictions available.  When I was talking to a group, I looked up the predictions a week ahead of time.  I was asked the inevitable question, "Why did you ride east to west when the wind blows west to east?"  My response, "How many of you lost tree limbs to the 100 mph winds last Friday?"  After the blank looks, it was easy to explain that those winds were blowing from the WNW at altitude, while the surface winds were 5-10 mph out of the south.  Same thing happens in Kansas.