Articles | Volume 12, issue 4
https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-12-1239-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-12-1239-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
24 Nov 2021
Research article |
| 24 Nov 2021
| 24 Nov 2021
Wind speed stilling and its recovery due to internal climate variability
Climate Policy Group, Institute for Environmental Decisions, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
Doris Folini
Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Science, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
Bryn Pickering
Climate Policy Group, Institute for Environmental Decisions, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Cited
25 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Process-based climate change assessment for European winds using EURO-CORDEX and global models J. Wohland https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aca77f
- A general unit hydrograph distribution and its application on the marginal distribution of global wind speed H. Cai et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.horiz.2023.100056
- Unprecedented daily winter extremes for the UK energy sector B. Hutchins et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/2515-7620/ae5510
- Changing windstorm characteristics over the US Northeast in a single model large ensemble J. Coburn et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ad801b
- Evaluating the contribution of climate change and urbanization to the reversal in maximum surface wind speed decline: Case study in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, China L. Liu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.uclim.2023.101713
- Attributing the decadal variations in springtime East Asian and North American dust emission to regime shifts in extratropical cyclone Y. Wang et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-1395-2026
- Characteristics of wind speeds and outdoor thermal sensation considering the effect of wind speeds: An analysis based on hourly data from 1995 to 2021 in Poland D. Sachindra & M. Nowosad https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.7880
- Wind stilling ceased in the Iberian Peninsula since the 2000s E. Utrabo-Carazo et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosres.2022.106153
- Assessing the Performance of Regional Climate Model Wind Speeds Over Canada M. Morris & E. Diaconescu https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.8912
- A reversal of upper-air wind speed in the Northern Hemisphere H. Wu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aosl.2025.100616
- The impact of future UK offshore wind farm distribution and climate change on generation performance and variability J. Giddings et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ad489b
- Climate change impacts on wind power generation for the Italian peninsula R. Bonanno et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-022-02007-w
- Extreme sandstorms: A nexus of climate, ecological, and economic forces M. Zhang & Z. Zeng https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ynexs.2025.100089
- Long-Term Variability of Wind Speed and Direction in the Mediterranean Basin T. Soukissian & M. Sotiriou https://doi.org/10.3390/wind2030028
- Extrapolation is not enough: impacts of extreme land use change on wind profiles and wind energy according to regional climate models J. Wohland et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-15-1385-2024
- Historical variability of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Version 6 (CMIP6)-driven surface winds and global reanalysis data for the Eastern Mediterranean I. Çetin et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-024-04869-y
- Gale weathers at Beijing Capital International Airport: multi-scale temporal variation and synoptic circulation characteristics R. Yuan et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/2515-7620/ae7410
- Global wind stilling and the role of sub-monthly variability in explaining deficiencies in atmospheric reanalyses P. Monerie et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-026-08163-7
- Wind speed stilling and its recovery due to internal climate variability J. Wohland et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-12-1239-2021
- Projection of fire weather index in Daxing’anling, Northeast China using a machine learning-based CMIP6 multi-model ensemble S. Debulois et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-026-04140-5
- Distinct Oceanic Apparent Temperature Responses to Global Warming Driven by Near-Surface Wind Speed L. Liao et al. https://doi.org/10.34133/olar.0151
- Projected Changes in Wind Characteristics over Ireland Based on the CMIP6 Models Under the SSP Scenarios F. Islek & M. Salauddin https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse14090763
- Internal Wave Responses to Interannual Climate Variability Across Aquatic Layers J. Koue https://doi.org/10.3390/w17192905
- Overestimation of the recent observed near-surface wind speed recovery in China Y. Yan et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-026-01322-x
- Amplified summer wind stilling and land warming compound energy risks in Northern Midlatitudes G. Zhang https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/adb1f8
25 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Process-based climate change assessment for European winds using EURO-CORDEX and global models J. Wohland https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aca77f
- A general unit hydrograph distribution and its application on the marginal distribution of global wind speed H. Cai et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.horiz.2023.100056
- Unprecedented daily winter extremes for the UK energy sector B. Hutchins et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/2515-7620/ae5510
- Changing windstorm characteristics over the US Northeast in a single model large ensemble J. Coburn et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ad801b
- Evaluating the contribution of climate change and urbanization to the reversal in maximum surface wind speed decline: Case study in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, China L. Liu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.uclim.2023.101713
- Attributing the decadal variations in springtime East Asian and North American dust emission to regime shifts in extratropical cyclone Y. Wang et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-1395-2026
- Characteristics of wind speeds and outdoor thermal sensation considering the effect of wind speeds: An analysis based on hourly data from 1995 to 2021 in Poland D. Sachindra & M. Nowosad https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.7880
- Wind stilling ceased in the Iberian Peninsula since the 2000s E. Utrabo-Carazo et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosres.2022.106153
- Assessing the Performance of Regional Climate Model Wind Speeds Over Canada M. Morris & E. Diaconescu https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.8912
- A reversal of upper-air wind speed in the Northern Hemisphere H. Wu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aosl.2025.100616
- The impact of future UK offshore wind farm distribution and climate change on generation performance and variability J. Giddings et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ad489b
- Climate change impacts on wind power generation for the Italian peninsula R. Bonanno et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-022-02007-w
- Extreme sandstorms: A nexus of climate, ecological, and economic forces M. Zhang & Z. Zeng https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ynexs.2025.100089
- Long-Term Variability of Wind Speed and Direction in the Mediterranean Basin T. Soukissian & M. Sotiriou https://doi.org/10.3390/wind2030028
- Extrapolation is not enough: impacts of extreme land use change on wind profiles and wind energy according to regional climate models J. Wohland et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-15-1385-2024
- Historical variability of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Version 6 (CMIP6)-driven surface winds and global reanalysis data for the Eastern Mediterranean I. Çetin et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-024-04869-y
- Gale weathers at Beijing Capital International Airport: multi-scale temporal variation and synoptic circulation characteristics R. Yuan et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/2515-7620/ae7410
- Global wind stilling and the role of sub-monthly variability in explaining deficiencies in atmospheric reanalyses P. Monerie et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-026-08163-7
- Wind speed stilling and its recovery due to internal climate variability J. Wohland et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-12-1239-2021
- Projection of fire weather index in Daxing’anling, Northeast China using a machine learning-based CMIP6 multi-model ensemble S. Debulois et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-026-04140-5
- Distinct Oceanic Apparent Temperature Responses to Global Warming Driven by Near-Surface Wind Speed L. Liao et al. https://doi.org/10.34133/olar.0151
- Projected Changes in Wind Characteristics over Ireland Based on the CMIP6 Models Under the SSP Scenarios F. Islek & M. Salauddin https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse14090763
- Internal Wave Responses to Interannual Climate Variability Across Aquatic Layers J. Koue https://doi.org/10.3390/w17192905
- Overestimation of the recent observed near-surface wind speed recovery in China Y. Yan et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-026-01322-x
- Amplified summer wind stilling and land warming compound energy risks in Northern Midlatitudes G. Zhang https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/adb1f8
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Latest update: 09 Jun 2026
Short summary
Surface winds fluctuate. From around 1980 to 2010, surface onshore winds generally became weaker, and they have gained in strength since then. While these fluctuations are well known, we currently do not fully understand why they happen. To investigate the reasons, we use a large set of climate simulations with one model, a so-called large ensemble. We find that the observed long-term wind fluctuations occur naturally under current and future conditions and do not require a specific trigger.
Surface winds fluctuate. From around 1980 to 2010, surface onshore winds generally became...
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