Ask anyone who has lived in Lethbridge for a while and they’ll tell you: the wind isn’t the average, it’s the gusts.
A forecast that says “wind west 40 km/h” sounds manageable. But on a chinook day, gusts can run 30 to 50 km/h higher than that, and gusts are what move things. They push high-sided vehicles across lanes, rip open car doors, flip patio furniture, bend fence panels, and turn an unsecured garbage bin into a tumbleweed.
Average wind tells you how breezy the day is. Gusts tell you how much damage the day can do.
What to watch
- The gust number, not just the wind speed. Most forecasts and the live readings at West Lethbridge Weather show both.
- The gap between the two. A 30 km/h wind with 80 km/h gusts is a rougher, more dangerous day than a steady 50.
- Direction. Our strongest gusts usually come from the west and southwest, especially when a chinook arch is sitting over the mountains.
Before a windy day
- Tie down or bring in anything light: lawn chairs, bins, kids’ toys, trampolines.
- Park facing into the wind so your doors don’t get caught.
- Retract awnings and RV slides before the wind picks up, not during it.
Learn more about why Lethbridge is one of the windiest cities in Canada on our Wind in Lethbridge page, and check the live wind and gust readings at westlethbridgeweather.com.
Related: Wind in Lethbridge · Live conditions at West Lethbridge Weather