GLOBAL AND LOCAL WINDS
WHAT CAUSES WIND?
When the sun warms the surface of Earth, the
surface heats the air above it. As a result, the air
becomes less dense, which forms an area of low
pressure. Areas where cold air sinks toward the
surface are areas of high pressure. As the cold air
moves, it pushes the warm, less dense air out of
the way. This movement of air is called wind.
GLOBAL AND LOCAL WINDS
• Wind is air in motion relative to the earth's surface. Its
principal characteristics are its direction, speed, and
turbulence.
• Wind direction and speed are usually measured and
expressed quantitatively, while in field practice turbulence is
ordinarily expressed in qualitative or relative terms.
• Surface wind speeds are measured with anemometers. The
standard height at which wind speed is measured is 20
feet above open ground. Wind speed is usually measured in
miles per hour or knots (nautical miles per hour). One knot is
1.15 miles per hour. The direction and speed of winds aloft
are determined most commonly by tracking an ascending,
gas-filled balloon from the surface up through the
atmosphere.
Global Circulation (The
Coriolis Effect)
• At the equator, Earth’s surface receives a lot of direct sunlight
that heats the ground and the air. As a result, air pressure is
low at the equator. The poles, however, receive much less
direct sunlight.
• Therefore, the ground and air are not as warm, and air
pressure at the poles is high. These pressure differences cause
air to circulate from the poles toward the equator.
• However, winds do not travel directly north or south, because
Earth is rotating. The apparent curving of the path of winds
and ocean currents due to Earth’s rotation is called the
Coriolis effect. Because of the Coriolis effect in the Northern
Hemisphere, winds traveling north curve to the east and winds
traveling south curve to the west.
Zones of Global Circulation
Inter-tropical convergence zone (ITCZ)
• This is where the N/E & S/E winds converge. These converging
winds are also called “Trade Winds”, because they were
important to sailing ships.
Subtropical high-pressure zones
• These are areas of dry, bright sunshine, and little precipitation.
They cause deserts. It is an area of warm dry air found about
30 degrees N & S latitudes.
Polar high-pressure zones
• The intense cold causes dense air because coldness causes
contraction, and so there is little molecular space, therefore
air can’t lift. This causes high pressure. As a result, the air
stays close to the ground and there is little precipitation.
GLOBAL WINDS
• Convection cells, pressure belts, and winds
combine with the Coriolis effect to produce air-
circulation patterns called global winds.
• Figure shows the major global wind systems:
polar easterlies, westerlies, and trade winds.
Winds such as easterlies and westerlies are
named for the direction from which they blow.
• Global winds distribute heat around Earth’s
surface and affect ocean currents and weather
patterns .
LOCAL WINDS
• Local winds generally move short distances and can blow from
any direction.
• Like global winds, most local winds result from differences in
pressure that are caused by the uneven heating of Earth’s
surface.
• However, these pressure differences result from a different
process. The pressure differences that cause local winds are
caused by the properties of the matter that makes up Earth’s
surface. For example, some materials, such as rock, heat up
more rapidly than other materials. Areas of low pressure form
over material that heats up quickly.
LOCAL WINDS
• Local winds often vary considerably in both
• speed and direction over short intervals of time.
They tend to blow in a series of gusts and lulls
with the direction fluctuating rapidly. This
irregular air motion is known as turbulence,
which may be thermal or mechanical. nature. At
the surface, turbulence is commonly identified in
terms of eddies, whirls, and gusts.
Sea Breezes and Land Breezes
• During the day, the land heats up faster
than the water does. The air above the
land becomes warmer than the air above
the water. The warm air above the land
rises, and the cold ocean air flows in to
replace it. At night, the land cools faster
than water does. The cold air above the
land flows toward the ocean. So, the wind
blows toward the ocean at night .
Valley Breezes and Mountain Breezes
• During the day, the air along the mountain
slopes heats up rapidly. This warm air rises up
the mountain slopes, creating a valley breeze.
• At night, the air along the mountain slopes
cools. This cool air moves down the slopes into
the valley, producing a mountain breeze.
