Re: does wind speed affect cloud cover

Wind speed alone has no effect on whether or not clouds are present. However, in combination with other factors the wind speed and more imporatantly wind direction play all kinds of roles in the presence or absence of clouds. For example, winds can literally blow clouds to an area. More often, wind brings the moisture needed for clouds to form to a place where it can be lifted to produce clouds. Wind can also advect (a fancy word for move) cooler or warmer temperatures into an area where moisture is already in place. Cooler temperatures that approach the dewpoint temperature may allow clouds to form that would not when warmer temperatures were present.

Check out USATODAY's cloud page and The University of Illinois's On-line Meteorology Guides.