Comparison between measured and calculated diurnal variations of wind speeds in northeast Baghdad

Abstract

A model for predicting diurnal changes in wind speed has been developed for the Fathailya area, located 30 km northeast of Baghdad. This model was based upon hourly values of wind speed for the period of 1984–1987. The hourly average of monthly diurnal variations of wind speeds and air temperatures showed that they have the same patterns and that these patterns change seasonally in the same manner. The model uses a truncated sin wave function to predict daytime wind speed changes and an exponential function to predict night-time wind speeds. Inputs for the model are latitude, date and daily wind travel. The closeness of the calculated wind speeds to the measured value was checked by comparing the average differences and the standard deviation of the average maximum of 1.6 m/s for February to a minimum of 0.8 m/s for October.