MYP 1 Air Currents

Global Winds Wind is the movement of air from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure. Global wind belts influence both climate and weather on Earth.

Global Wind Belts The Coriolis Effect: Earth’s rotation causes moving air and water to appear to move to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left the in the Southern Hemisphere.

Prevailing Winds Trade Winds are steady that flow from east to west between 3o degrees N latitude and 30 degrees S latitude. Here the air cools and sinks Creates areas of high pressure and light calm winds called doldrums.

Prevailing Winds Westerlies are steady winds that flow from west to east between latitudes 30 degrees N and 60 degrees N, and 30 degrees S and 60 degrees S. Polar Easterlies are cold winds that blow from the east to the west near the North Pole and the South Pole

Prevailing Winds

Jet Stream A narrow band of high winds that are near the top of the troposhphere. They flow around Earth from west to east and make large loops to the north or south. Jet streams influence weather as they move cold air from the poles toward the tropics and warm air from the tropics to the poles. They can move up to 300 km/hr and are more unpredictable than prevailing winds.

Jet Stream

Local Winds Sea Breeze Land Breeze Wind that blows from the sea to the land due to local temperature and pressure differences. Sunny days the land warms up faster than the ocean. Air of land warms and rises by conduction and creates a low pressure . Air over the water sinks creating the high pressure. This gives us a cool wind that blows from sea to land. Wind that blows from the land to the sea due to local temperature and pressure differences. At night land cools quickly and the air above land cools faster than the air over water. This makes an area of low pressure over the water and the breeze blows from land to water.