Windwinkel

Windwinkel is a term used in meteorology and navigation to describe the angle between the wind’s origin and a chosen reference direction, typically the forward axis of a vessel or the geographic north. It is a relative angular measurement, not an absolute wind direction.

In practice, wind angle is computed as the difference between the wind’s origin direction and the reference axis. For example, if the wind comes from 60 degrees and the reference forward direction is 0 degrees, the wind angle is 60 degrees. If the reference axis rotates, the wind angle changes accordingly. Wind direction is usually reported as the direction from which the wind originates, while wind angle expresses its relation to a specific reference frame.

In sailing, wind angle is important for sail trim and performance planning and is closely related to the concepts of true wind angle (TWA) and apparent wind angle (AWA). In meteorology and aviation, the term is used in contexts where the wind’s effect relative to a moving platform or line of travel matters, though wind direction remains the more common descriptor in many analyses.

Measurement is carried out with wind vanes and anemometers, often combined with a compass or heading sensor to compute the wind angle relative to a given reference frame. Understanding windwinkel helps in applications ranging from sailing and aviation to weather forecasting and land navigation.

Etymology: German, from Wind (wind) and Winkel (angle). See also wind direction, true wind angle, apparent wind.