Singapore being a traditional sea route/trading port should have wind year round for kites to fly. But being near the equator also means that there will be time when there is no wind. Wind power is not being considered here simply because the wind is in patches. Seldom will you see consistent strong wind like those experienced in foreign kite festivals (just ask the organizers how hard they tried to get their big show kites in the air).
Let's put some definition to the wind needed to fly kites. I guess the good old Beaufort Wind Scale is a good place to start. If gives you a visual clue without turning to wind gauges or forecasts, which I'll address later.
Force 0 - Calm
- < 1 mph, 1 km/h or 1 knot
- Still, calm air, smoke will rise vertically
Force 1 - Light Air
- 1-3 mph, 1-5 km/h, or 1-3 knots
- Rising smoke drifts, wind vane is inactive. Small ripples appear on water surface.
Force 2 - Light Breeze
- 4-7 mph, 6-11 km/h or 4-6 knots
- Leaves rustle, can feel wind on your face, wind vanes begin to move. Small wavelets develop, crests are glassy.
Force 3 - Gentle Breeze
- 8-12 mph, 12-19 km/h, or 7-10 knots
- Leaves and small twigs move. Large wavelets, crests start to break, some whitecaps.
Force 4 - Moderate Breeze
- 13-18 mph, 20-28 km/h, or 11-16 knots
- Small branches move, raises dust, leaves and papers. Small waves develop, becoming longer,whitecaps.
Force 5 - Fresh Breeze
- 19-24 mph, 29-38 km/h, or 17-21 knots
- Small trees sway. White crested wavelet (whitecaps) form, some spray.
This scale goes on to Force 12 - Hurricane, but should suffice for conditions here. Most of the time, the charts will show Force 1-3. (Only seen Force 4 is the southern landfill island). I've added the wave for those at Marina Barrage.
Higher end of Force 1 is sufficient for most kites. I can launch most kites at 4-5 km/h. Gliders like Wala will stay in the sky at this level. Of course, don't expect it to take off. Once you're into force 2, you're in that HAPPY place. Heed the advise by the manufacturer (though the Americans tend to be conservative). Some kites do need Force 3 wind to fly.
The following are some of the web resources I use for wind forecast:
* Wind Finder (www.windfinder.com)
- This site is great. It has wind and weather forecasts for you anywhere in the world. Locally, it has many locations including Sengkang, Punggol and West Coasts.
- Comes will an mobile phone apps for any platform. Go to your "market" and download it. Note takes up lots of space on my Android.
- I, however, use this only as a guide or when I need a certain area of coverage. Accuracy issue.
* NEA (www.nea.gov.sg)
- You know this site. Great for rain forecast but you'll probably not find the "windcast".
- Well, the best that we have. The Nowcast is useful. Forecast? Close but not quite.
* Singapore Weather Online
- One of my favorite place to check wind. This is actually a NEA site. It has something like 28 locations throughout the island, but not near my house, sigh. You can check wind, rain, temperature, etc. There is also a pattern chart showing past few hours pattern.
- This is, however, a Now cast.
- For those, who like me, cannot access flash website on mobile phones, use the following link for Marina Barrage. You can figure it out for you fav location, I think. This is how we get our wind speed for our test flight at this location.
Well so much for the resource. There are other things you need to know about this force of nature.
Fact 1
I've chosen to do the tests at Marina Barrage (not on weekends, though) for 1 reason only: You are on the same level as the wind gauge. Why? Most of these forecasts are describing "surface wind". They are not talking about the wind you and I feel on the field but something that is about 10m up. Yes, when you see 10km/h on the chart, the tree top rustle and you feel nothing, this is exactly why. No worries, the long line launch will take care of it. Or just wait, it will come down from heaven.
Fact 2
At times, you'll see other kites flying in the air but your don't feel any wind, especially places like Marina Barrage or Tampines, OR, kites in the sky are in one direction but you are feeling something else on your face, this is DISTURBANCE. Long story short, move to a spot where a building or any big structure is not between you and where the wind is coming from and, viola, your kites will be in the air in no time (of course, pull long line at launch helps too but space is always finite).
Whenever I'm in doubt, I'll prefer to trust the trees. To preserve you sanity, and your family's happiness, move to a different spot or use another kite. Otherwise, just take a breather. Don't blame your supplier. Part of this game is the conquest of nature. Or the ugly, angry inner you? Agree?
Enjoy the Wind. Enjoy Each Other.
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Places like the Marina Barrage has lots of disturbances in light wind conditions. I tried it at some HDB estates and, boy, will you get wind bouncing off the buildings in all direction. I heard they have the same problem during this year's NTUC Kite Festival too.
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