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Mean wind speed, monthly profiles, and energy potential at 42.56°N, 114.47°W
Average wind speed at 100m hub height for each month of the year.
Twin Falls experiences peak winds during April (6.85 m/s) with lowest speeds in July (4.88 m/s). The seasonal pattern shows a spring peak driven by strong pressure gradients, with lighter winds in late summer.
The ratio between peak and minimum monthly wind speed is 1.40, indicating significant seasonal variation. Energy production will be notably higher during windy months, which should be factored into PPA pricing and revenue projections.
Wind speed increases with height due to reduced surface friction. Modern turbines typically operate at 80-120m hub height.
| Height | Wind Speed (m/s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 10m | 3.52 | Standard measurement height |
| 50m | 4.91 | Small/distributed turbines |
| 80m | 5.41 | Mid-size turbines |
| 100m | 5.67 | Modern utility-scale turbines |
Idaho ranks #31 nationally for wind energy capacity, making it a growing participant in the US wind energy market. The state's Snake River Plain and mountain passes define its wind resource characteristics across different regions and elevations.
Idaho has a small but growing wind energy sector with approximately 0.1 GW installed. As turbine technology advances and development costs decrease, additional sites across the state are becoming economically viable.
The mountainous terrain of Idaho creates unique wind acceleration effects through valleys, passes, and ridgelines. While complex terrain requires careful site selection, the strongest wind resources in the state often exceed those found on the Great Plains.
The mean wind speed in Twin Falls, Idaho is 5.67 m/s at 100m hub height, 5.41 m/s at 80m, and 3.52 m/s at 10m. Wind power density at this location is 111.6 W/m², classified as IEC Wind Class IV.
Twin Falls has a wind quality rating of "Moderate" based on its mean wind speed of 5.67 m/s at hub height. This location has limited wind resources for large-scale development, but distributed or small-scale wind may be viable. Peak winds occur in April (6.85 m/s) with lowest speeds in July (4.88 m/s).
Small or distributed wind turbines may be most appropriate for this site. Vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) or small horizontal axis turbines designed for low-wind environments should be evaluated for site-specific conditions.
Based on the mean wind speed near Twin Falls, a modern 3 MW turbine could produce approximately 4.7 GWh per year (capacity factor ~18%). That is enough to power roughly 450 average American homes. A 100 MW wind farm at this location could generate approximately 156 GWh annually, worth $5463.2M at $35/MWh wholesale electricity prices.
Explore wind data for nearby cities, sorted by wind quality.