Real-Time Animated Wind Maps

In recent weeks, ferocious winds have dominated the headlines. The devastating impact of Hurricane Milton, arriving so soon after Hurricane Helene rampaged through Florida, has left many communities reeling from the destructive power of these tropical storm-force winds. 

In the last fortnight, I've often found myself drawn to Earth Nullschool's real-time map of global wind conditions. At the time of writing, Earth Nullschool shows the eye of Hurricane Milton centered northwest of Orlando (animated map above).

Earth Nullschool is just one of several interactive maps providing near real-time maps of current wind conditions. Windfinder uses data from over 20,000 weather stations worldwide, along with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), to provide real-time wind reports. The map offers real-time and forecasted wind speeds, wind direction, air temperature, and other meteorological data, with global wind forecasts available up to 10 days in advance.

Windy.com also offers a real-time map of global weather conditions. Windy.com includes a timeline feature that allows users to view an animated forecast of the upcoming week's wind patterns. This feature can help you track Hurricane Milton as it follows its predicted path out into the Atlantic Ocean.