Let’s say (not real math) that 99 mph wind cannot pick up a car, but 100 mph can. Is there a unit of strength? Or calculation for the speed vs what it can do?
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The measurement you’re looking for is aerodynamic drag. This type of drag exerts a force on an object as it moves through the atmosphere. Interestingly, it does not matter if the object is moving, or if the atmosphere itself is moving. It only matters that there is a difference in speed between the two.
The amount of force exerted will consider three main factors:
1. The velocity (speed) of the air moving past the object.
2. The surface area (like the silhouette) of the object that is facing the wind.
3. The friction between the object and the air, called the coefficient of drag.
There are other factors as well, such as the atmospheric pressure and relative humidity, but these factors are very small compared to the three listed above.
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