These are the windiest places on the planet

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Gruissan, France​

The Tramontane sweeps in from the northwest to hit the region with winds of over 29 km/h (18 mph) for an average 300 days of the year.

 

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Rio Gallegos, Argentina​

Rio Gallegos in the Patagonian province of Santa Cruz is among the world's windiest places. Winds above 50 km/h (31 mph) are commonplace, and those over 100 km/h (62 mph) are not exceptional.

 

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Rio Gallegos, Argentina​

These powerful and relentless winds have bent the region's vegetation to the point where trees appear stunted and deformed.

 

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Dodge City, Kansas, US​

Known for its history as a wild frontier town of the Old West, Dodge City is often cited as the windiest city in the United States, with higher than average wind speeds of 22.4 km/h (13.9 mph) shifting tumbleweed like a runaway train.

 

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Dodge City, Kansas, US​

Kansas sits in America's notorious Tornado Alley, but the winds barreling down off the Rockies and into the Plains play a far more significant role than the occasional twister does in setting that high average.

 

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St. John's, Canada​

St. John's is the capital city of Canada's Newfoundland and Labrador province. It's known as the windiest city in Canada, swept as it is for much of the year by an average wind speed of 21 km/p (13 mph).

 

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St. John's, Canada​

The wind gusts over 48 km/h (30 mph) on an average of 50 days a year. But the city is also one of the areas of the country most prone to tropical cyclone activity, as it is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east, where tropical storms (and sometimes hurricanes) swirl in from the United States.

 

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Baku, Azerbaijan​

Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, is known as the City of Winds. There are two winds common to Baku: cold and rough Khazri, and mild and gentle Gilavar.

 

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Baku, Azerbaijan​

The speed of the Khazri wind sometimes reaches 144 km/h (89 mph), exacerbated by the fact that Baku sits 28 m (92 ft) below sea level (the lowest lying capital city in the world, incidentally), meaning there is little to impede these ferocious gusts. Though no wind is strong enough to bring down the city's striking Flame Towers (pictured).

 

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Chicago, Illinois, US​

Located on the shores of Lake Michigan, Chicago certainly deserves its nickname. The Windy City is exactly that.

 

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Chicago, Illinois, US​

Summer temperatures are kept pleasantly mild by wind whipping off the lake. However, those same winds can turn to blizzards in winter and bring bone-chilling lows like the −33 °C (−27 °F) record that was set on January 20, 1985.

 

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Western Scotland​

Scotland is hit with average wind speeds of between 24 km/h (15 mph ) and 27 km/h (17 mph), and is officially the United Kingdom's windiest place. The gusts are strongest in Western Scotland, where some areas experience nearly a month's worth of gale force winds per year.

 

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Shetland, Scotland​

The UK's Met Office also lists Shetland (pictured) as being the gustiest place in Britain, with annual average winds speeds reaching 27 km/p (17 mph) in exposed areas.

 

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Tarifa, Spain​

Lying on Spain's exposed Costa de la Luz and across from the Strait of Gibraltar facing Morocco, Tarifa's winds make it the most popular destination in Europe with windsurfers and kitesurfers.

 

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Tarifa, Spain​

Favorable gusts prevail almost year round, meaning Tarifa experiences exceptionally strong and consistent winds.

 

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Commonwealth Bay, Antarctica​

The windiest place on Earth is Commonwealth Bay in Antarctica. From February 1912 to December 1913, scientists at Cape Denison, a rocky cape at the head of the bay, measured the windiest hour ever recorded, at 153 km/h (95 mph). The region's high-density katabatic winds, however, are regularly recorded at over 241 km/h (150 mph).

 

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Commonwealth Bay, Antarctica​

The Guinness Book of World Records and National Geographic Atlas have both subsequently listed Commonwealth Bay as the most blustery area on Earth. The average annual wind speed is 80.5 km/h (50 mph).

 

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7 great windmills to visit in the Netherlands

Windmills are one of the first things you think of whenever you hear the words “Holland” or “the Netherlands.” You’ll be pleased to know that the stereotype is true.

Of course, the Netherlands is more than just windmills, but it’s still a great excuse for a visit as there is no shortage of these iconic buildings — where, for many places, it’s the gem of the area.

So if you’re living in the Netherlands and fancy a windmill trip, or if you’re doting on Dutch life and are coming to visit, then don’t forget to check these out! Here are seven great windmills to visit in the Netherlands.

 

[BTSS]

Fucking spammer

 

[jw5]

Kinderdijk​

Kinderdijk isn’t just one windmill, but a whole windmill park. It’s located in South Holland and if you’re a tourist, there are many tour companies that drive there to give you a tour.

The windmills are actually still lived in, so don’t be surprised to see someone’s underwear hanging up outside.

Kinderdijk is not only one of the Netherlands’ 10 World Heritage sites, but also has a small museum, a cafe, and a shop. You can do a boat tour taking you alongside the windmills, or a walk or a bike ride around the area.