Change in the Weather? Wind farms might affect local climates

Large groups of power-generating windmills could have a small but detectable influence on a region’s climate, new analyses suggest.

WEATHER MAKERS. Large-scale wind farms can increase wind speed, temperature, and evaporation at ground level, a new analysis suggests. PhotoDisc

Windmills once were quaint several-story-high mechanisms that pumped water or ground grain. They’ve since evolved into sky-scraping behemoths that can each generate electrical power for more than 100 homes.