Changing wind speeds above the ground cause sound waves to bend toward or away from the earth—a process called refraction. ... You might notice that sound levels are higher when the wind is blowing from the highway toward you (downwind) as illustrated below.

Does wind carry sound waves?

Wind affects the propagation of sound by refracting its waves. ... The difference in velocity creates a wind gradient, causing a sound signal traveling downwind to bend downwards, while sound traveling upwind will bend upwards relative to the sound source.

Does wind affect sound frequency?

Wind has essentially the same effect as an increase or decrease in sound velocity. If the crests are moving with the wind (in the same direction as the wind), then sound velocity is effectively increased. ... On the other hand, the frequency should go up because the observer is running into the crests more frequently.