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Air flows from high pressure to low pressure. The closer together the isobars on a chart, the harder the push and the faster the wind.
The Earth's rotation turns moving air, so in the UK wind runs anticlockwise round a low. Stand with your back to the wind and the low is on your left.
Land, trees and towns drag on the lowest air. That's why the coast at Troon is usually windier than inland Kilmarnock.
Faster air from higher up gets stirred down to the ground. Showers and hills can push gusts 30–60% above the average wind.
Airliners report their speed and heading. Compare that with how fast they move over the ground and you can work out the wind at their height. Our Wind Atlas does this every five minutes.