THE WINDIEST PLACE ON EARTH
Every winter, winds in Antarctica reach speeds of over 100 miles per hour. The continent experiences such strong gusts as a result of katabatic winds. Katabatic winds are created by the extremely cold temperatures of Antarctica. The cold, dense air lying above the icy surface travels downwards towards the coast due to gravity and pressure differences between dense and thinner air.
A coastal area of Antarctica called Commonwealth Bay is regarded as the windiest place on the planet. In this 37-mile-wide region, winds regularly travel at more than 150 miles per hour. Due to the crescent shape of the bay, katabatic winds travelling into Commonwealth Bay are forced into its narrow space. This increases wind speed as air passes through, contributing to the bay’s average annual wind speed of 50 miles per hour.