# This is normal, right? (wind, hi-rise buildings) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 12, 2009, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-normal-right-wind-hi-rise-buildings/485575 "2009-02-12T19:03:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-normal-right-wind-hi-rise-buildings/485575/1 "2009-02-12T19:03:26Z")
I work on the 21st floor of a tall building in Midtown Manattan. I’m not used to being in tall buildings or spending the majority of my time in them. It is HELLA windy today. The entire building is creaking and I can feel the earth move underneath me. Please explain to me, in rational and calm detail, preferably with architectural schematics and links to peer-reviewed literature, that I am not going to die. Thanks so much, Christy ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-normal-right-wind-hi-rise-buildings/485575/2 "2009-02-12T19:08:31Z")
Go down to the lobby. Look around. There’s probably a plaque saying when the building was constructed. It was probably decades ago. There’s been lots of windy days since then. Prolly some a whole lot worse than today. Building is still standing. ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-normal-right-wind-hi-rise-buildings/485575/3 "2009-02-12T19:09:25Z")
[How Skyscrapers Work.](http://www.essortment.com/hobbies/skyscraperstall_sfdw.htm) You’re not going to die. You might get woozy (I used to get an upset stomach back when I worked in the Loop in tall buildings) but that would be about it. ---
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-normal-right-wind-hi-rise-buildings/485575/4 "2009-02-12T19:18:57Z")
You’re in the Equitable building, right? It’s old. You’ll be fine. ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-normal-right-wind-hi-rise-buildings/485575/5 "2009-02-12T19:20:42Z")
I’m in a building about 6 down from you and it sort of does the same thing. It is fine, I promise. ---
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-normal-right-wind-hi-rise-buildings/485575/6 "2009-02-12T19:30:53Z")
I’m even higher up in WFC 3 and I don’t feel a thing. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-normal-right-wind-hi-rise-buildings/485575/7 "2009-02-12T19:49:00Z")
> [@Maeglin](#): > > You’re in the Equitable building, right? > > It’s old. You’ll be fine. Not anymore, stalker. 😉 I’m in One Penn Plaza. Midtown. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-normal-right-wind-hi-rise-buildings/485575/8 "2009-02-12T19:52:15Z")
> [@olivesmarch4th](#): > > I work on the 21st floor of a tall building in Midtown Manattan. I’m not used to being in tall buildings or spending the majority of my time in them. It is HELLA windy today. The entire building is creaking and I can feel the earth move underneath me. Please explain to me, in rational and calm detail, preferably with architectural schematics and links to peer-reviewed literature, that I am not going to die. > > Thanks so much, > > Christy Read the fable about the oak tree and a reed. You should be fine…unless the wind happens to blow at just the right speed to hit the resonance frequency of the building and it shakes itself apart like the Tacoma Narrows bridge. But that almost never happens. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-normal-right-wind-hi-rise-buildings/485575/9 "2009-02-12T19:55:06Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > Read the fable about the oak tree and a reed. > > You should be fine…unless the wind happens to blow at just the right speed to hit the resonance frequency of the building and it shakes itself apart like the Tacoma Narrows bridge. But that almost never happens. You’re not a therapist by any chance, are you? ---
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-normal-right-wind-hi-rise-buildings/485575/10 "2009-02-12T19:55:19Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > Go down to the lobby. Look around. There’s probably a plaque saying when the building was constructed. It was probably decades ago. There’s been lots of windy days since then. Prolly some a whole lot worse than today. Building is still standing. Yes, but each windy day makes it weaker, right? Right? So it could collapse today! 😃 I was offered a job in a tall-ish building in central London [(Centre Point)](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centre_Point) and during my interview my prospective colleagues were telling me interesting stories about how people got motion sickness during the last winter storm and had to be sent home. It was a little unnerving, but had nothing to do with my turning down the job. It’s like watching the wingtips waggle on a plane. You wonder if that’s quite right, then you realise they were designed to be that way. Same thing here. All will be well. [http://science.howstuffworks.com/skyscraper4.htm](http://science.howstuffworks.com/skyscraper4.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-normal-right-wind-hi-rise-buildings/485575/11 "2009-02-12T19:57:16Z")
In hunting around for “skyscrapers” and “wind” I found [this.](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7472722.stm) Enjoy, and try not to barf at the thought. ---
**Author:** ![Hakuna\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@Hakuna\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hakuna_Matata)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-normal-right-wind-hi-rise-buildings/485575/12 "2009-02-12T20:02:44Z")
As a professional Architect who has worked on several high rise buildings, I can unequivocally state that you are going to die… . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . some day just not today The building will be standing for awhile trust me 😃 ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-normal-right-wind-hi-rise-buildings/485575/13 "2009-02-12T20:04:54Z")
> [@olivesmarch4th](#): > > Not anymore, stalker. 😉 I’m in One Penn Plaza. Midtown. You moved to another building? I guess we won’t get to go to lunch then. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-normal-right-wind-hi-rise-buildings/485575/14 "2009-02-12T20:18:03Z")
Anecdotal and completely without schematics, but I spent 14 or so years managing hi-rises in the Loop. You’re fine, they are supposed to do that. It’s wiggle a little or snap like an 80 year old woman’s tibia. Pour yourself a cup of coffee, then go to the 99th floor of the Sears Tower on a very windy day and watch the coffee slosh in your cup. Even better, peek into a toilet up there. Whitecaps in the crapper. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-normal-right-wind-hi-rise-buildings/485575/15 "2009-02-12T20:40:42Z")
> [@pbbth](#): > > You moved to another building? I guess we won’t get to go to lunch then. ☹ We still have the museum next weekend! Right? ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-normal-right-wind-hi-rise-buildings/485575/16 "2009-02-12T20:49:41Z")
> [@olivesmarch4th](#): > > We still have the museum next weekend! Right? Of course! I PMed a couple of people to see if they wanted to join us but I haven’t heard back yet, so it might just be you and me (and your hubby, if he wants to join us!) ---
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-normal-right-wind-hi-rise-buildings/485575/17 "2009-02-12T20:50:30Z")
> [@olivesmarch4th](#): > > We still have the museum next weekend! Right? We were supposed to have lunch sometime, I think. Huh. ---
**Author:** ![warmark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/58f4c7/32.png) [@warmark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/warmark)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-normal-right-wind-hi-rise-buildings/485575/18 "2009-02-12T21:03:01Z")
In a skyscraper myself, and the wind is blowing like you wouldn’t believe. The motion is quite noticeable but I don’t think there is anything out of the ordi ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-normal-right-wind-hi-rise-buildings/485575/19 "2009-02-12T21:26:05Z")
> [@warmark](#): > > In a skyscraper myself, and the wind is blowing like you wouldn’t believe. The motion is quite noticeable but I don’t think there is anything out of the ordi I knew I could count on you guys. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-normal-right-wind-hi-rise-buildings/485575/20 "2009-02-12T21:33:07Z")
skyscrapers are built to dance in the wind. it is when they don’t dance that you should worry. the creaking is a bit nerve wracking though. i always thought it sounded like wood ships in the waves. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-normal-right-wind-hi-rise-buildings/485575.md?page=2)