Head, Tail, Crosswind Detection?
 

To all you hypermiler geniuses,

If you're so smart, design something that tells me what are the prevailing wind direction conditions; headwind, tailwind, or crosswind.

Thanks!
Doug in Oakland, CA

Doug, I use the flags atop tall flagpoles as my wind direction source. There are enough of them on my 54 mile commute to keep me updated on this very important factor. ;)

How stupid of me. As a sailor, I'm embarrassed.

But how did you afford to pay for each of those 54 flagpoles every mile along the way? ;)

Mount a small Navy flag on your fender? :)

Leaves on the trees / grass / flags / etc.

I salute your answer and defend your right to say it!

I use an app on my iPhone called "WindCompass". It tells me wind speed and direction. :)

I also try to look at the leaves on trees

My Honda Fit, with its incredible square footage of flat sides and low weight, lets me know all about the wind. :p

Do what sailplane pilots do: tape a short piece of yarn to the center of the windshield. Of course this only gives you relative wind, but it'd work well for crosswinds.

Often times wind direction is fairly predictable. Along the Columbia gorge around Portland, wind blows from the East in the morning, and then switches to the West in the afternoon. The sun heats and expands the air from the East in the morning, and then heats and expands the air in the West as the day grows old.

I've also noticed wind from the south on I-5 in the morning, and from the North in the afternoon.

It's afternoon as I write this, and wind is blowing from the Northwest where I live.

I've been wanting a way to know wind direction so that I can place my window fan in a direction that doesn't oppose the wind.

Thanks!

Flags always play tricks on me. I think they are blowing in one direction, but when I pass by the waving end I realize it wasn't as it initially appeared.

To detect headwinds and tailwinds, install an airspeed indicator in the nose of your car. The difference between the speed indicated on your speedometer and the airspeed indicator will be your wind component. It will also tell you when you are in the optimum position while drafting another vehicle.

Just don't stall out when the pitot tube ices over and indicates your speed at 600 MPH.

Hood ornament with a little cast metal weather vane.