WIND

Movement of air in the atmosphere.

Remember Convection Principles

• Solar energy strikes the _____________________, heating the air, land and water.

• Warm air at the equator _____________________________________________ (leaving behind an area of lower pressure).

• When the rising air reaches the ____________________, it moves toward the poles.

Remember Convection Principles

• At the Poles the warm air ________________________ to the earth (creating an area of high pressure).

• Cooler surface air flows __________________________ to replace the rising warm air.

• The cooler air is ___________________________ back into warm air and continues the cycle.

The Coriolis Effect

• The earth rotates _____________________________________. (west to east).

• This rotation causes the winds between the equator and the poles to break into _________________________________________.

• The apparent _________________________________________ of a moving object (wind) in a rotating system is called the Coriolis effect.– Named after Gaspard de Coriolis, the French mathematician who first

analyzed it.

The Coriolis Effect

• Objects or particles in motion in the Northern Hemisphere appear to move to the ___________________.

• The Coriolis effect is noticed _______________________ and ___________________________________.

Wind Systems

• Winds that affect large areas are called ______________.*Christopher Columbus sailed from Europe across the

Atlantic Ocean to North America in 1492 and back to Europe.

The Winds that he used were called the Northeast trade winds that go west and the mid-latitude westerlies to sail back to Europe.

Longitude & Latitude

• Latitude :– ______________________ divisions on the earth– Measured in degrees (like an angle)

• Longitude Latitude:– _______________________ divisions on the earth– Measured in degrees (like an angle)

Longitude & Latitude

Wind Systems

• The Trade Winds:– A wind system that forms between _____________________.– These winds are pushed towards the ____________________

because of the Earth’s rotation.• Westerlies:

– Winds that come ______________________.– Winds flowing toward the poles from about 30o latitude curve to

the east.

Wind Systems

• Easterlies– Winds flowing from the poles are pushed

_______________________________________.– If the earth did not rotate, winds would flow

_______________________________________.– Since the earth is rotating, however, the major wind

systems flow from the east to west.

• Polar Winds– Winds that are move from the

_________________________________________.– Usually between the

__________________________________________ of each hemisphere

The Jet Stream

• A Forceful, swift winds blow from _________________________ in the upper troposphere.

• Jet streams can reduce or increase an ______________. • Planes headed west will be slowed by _______________.• Planes headed east at high altitudes may be

__________________________________by jet streams.

The Jet Stream

• Winds within the jet streams vary widely in speed.• Winds travel at about ____________________________,

others speed along at as much as __________________.• During ________________________________________

a jet stream is located 10 to 12 km above the earth.• _____________________________________________

it is about 6 to 9 km above the earth.

The Jet Stream

• The _________________________ of the jet stream also changes during the year.

• Summer, it is along the southern part of Canada and in winter as far south as the Gulf of Mexico.