Which side experiences the highest pressure when wind hits directly?

• A. Leeward side
• B. Roof
• C. Ground level
• D. Windward side

Answer: (D)

When wind hits a surface directly, the moving air cannot pass through the surface and is brought to rest there. This converts the air’s kinetic energy into pressure energy, producing the highest positive (stagnation) pressure on the windward side—the face that the wind hits. The leeward side sits in the wake behind the object and experiences lower, often negative, pressure due to flow separation and suction. The roof can see a mix of pressures, but it does not reach the peak stagnation pressure of the windward face, and ground-level pressures are influenced by roughness and turbulence rather than the maximum stagnation value. So the highest pressure occurs on the windward side.