Winds
Local and Global
Winds
- Wind is the sideways movement of air
- It always moves form an area of high air pressure to an area of low pressure
- The name of wind tells you where it is coming from
- Wind speeds are measured with an anemometer
Local Winds
Local winds are winds that blow over a short distance. The cause of local winds is the unequal heating of Earths surface within a small area. Sea Breeze is a local wind that blows from the ocean.It mostly occurs during the day. Land Breeze is a local wind that blows from the land over a lake or ocean. This usually occurs at night.
Global Winds
Global winds are winds that move steadily over a long distance. They blow from the same direction every time. The cause is unequal heating from the Earth's surface but unlike local winds they blow over long distances. The Earth's rotation makes global winds curve this is known as the Coriolis Affect. Doldrums are winds at the equator and they are very weak.Trade Winds lie between 0 and 30 degrees latitude and are VERY strong. Sailors used them to help trade their cargo. Jet Streams are bands of VERY strong winds in the upper troposphere. These help airplanes travel faster and save fuel.