Wind Map is an exquisite live-feed map that harnesses surface wind data from the National Digital Forecast Database to illustrate “the delicate tracery of wind flowing over the US right now.” Designed by Fernanda Viegas and Martin Wattenberg, Wind Map visualizes meteorological data in a simple but resonant moving image, translating wind speeds and directions from their more common numeric and symbolic expressions into wispy, flowing lines that build upon each other like a silverpoint etching. “An invisible, ancient source of energy surrounds us,” the site explains, “energy that powered the first explorations of the world, and that may be a key to the future.”

Could this be our favorite climate analysis site after Is It Iced Coffee Weather? Check out today’s wind map and an archive of past wind maps here.

by Kelly Chan

posted in sustainable design

tagged america, cartography, data, data design, data visualization, energy, map, mapping, sustainability, Wind, wind energy, wind power

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