Gusty describes wind that blows in sudden, brief bursts rather than steadily. On a gusty day, the wind might whip your hair around for a few seconds, die down, then suddenly gust again, making your jacket billow out like a sail. A gust is one of these sudden rushes of wind.

Gusty weather makes some activities tricky. Flying a kite becomes harder because the wind keeps changing strength. Riding a bike feels normal one moment, then a strong gust pushes against you the next. Sailors need to stay alert in gusty conditions because sudden gusts can tip over small boats or tear sails.

Weather forecasters measure wind gusts separately from steady wind speed. They might say “winds of 15 miles per hour with gusts up to 30,” meaning the steady wind is moderate, but those sudden bursts are twice as strong.

You might also hear people use gusty metaphorically to describe anything that comes in bursts rather than flowing smoothly, though this usage is less common.