Can sound move faster with a tail wind?

Question

On a windy day, sometimes it's hard to hear someone talking from a long distance away. From that, I would deduce that sound is affected by air movement. Does that mean, therefore, that if I were to yell upwind from someone on a very windy day, sound will travel faster with a tail wind pushing it along? Would it affect the sound at all?

Answer 1

Yes, sound travels faster downwind than upwind or with no wind. The speed of sound is constant relative to the medium it is traveling through. So if that speed is 1000 ft/sec, then in the downwind direction the speed is 1000 ft/sec + the wind speed. However the helpful effect this would have on calling to someone downwind from you might be canceled out by the extra noise the wind produces.

Answer 2

Of course, speed of sound can be varied by imposing it wid another medium. If not, how do u talk wid a person over phone thousands of miles away in realtime?? i think its quite possible tht if you were to yell upwind from someone on a very windy day, sound will travel faster.