This week's reading got me thinking about urban microclimates. Since moving to San Jose from Morgan Hill I have been shocked by the contrast in heat, quality of air, wind, and even precipitation between these two cities that are so close to one another.
The specific issue that got me thinking about this is one that I am sure you are familiar with. I live in the tall building across from City Hall, called Vintage Tower. Sometimes when I step outside, the wind blowing down Santa Clara St. in between these two buildings is incredible. A few times I could hardly open the door because the force was so strong, and once my bike got blown over. Sometimes when this happens, it is not even that windy in other parts of downtown San Jose! Once I get past the zone that is in between these two tall buildings, the wind seems to disperse around the sides of the buildings and not be so intense.
Although this spot is the only place I have experienced this in San Jose, in San Francisco I've felt this same effect from urban wind tracks a lot. I'm sure it's a common occurance in most major cities with tall buildings. I wonder how human interferences such as highways, airplanes, and tall structures interfere with natural wind currents? Is this why the wind seems to be increasing?
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