What is the origin of the wind?

Wind is caused by uneven heating of the earth's surface by the sun. Because the earth's surface is made up of different types of land and water, the earth absorbs the sun's heat at different rates. One example of this uneven heating is the daily wind cycle.

How does the wind originate?

The sun's energy heats the planet's surface, most intensively at the equator, which causes air to rise. This rising air creates an area of low pressure at the surface into which cooler air is sucked, and it is this flow of air that we know as “wind”.

What is the original source of wind?

Wind energy is actually a byproduct of the sun. The sun's uneven heating of the atmosphere, the earth's irregular surfaces (mountains and valleys), and the planet's revolution around the sun all combine to create wind.

Why is there no wind when it's hot?

So the winds come from the heating of the air from the sun and that temperature difference between the cooler air and hotter air causing currents. Without the sun's heat, there is less contrast between hot and cold air. It becomes more equalized, so there is less wind.

What are the three main causes of wind?

Weather 101: What Causes Wind?

How does the sun make the wind?

Wind is caused by uneven heating of the earth's surface by the sun. Because the earth's surface is made up of different types of land and water, the earth absorbs the sun's heat at different rates. One example of this uneven heating is the daily wind cycle.

What are four major factors that affect wind?

These are pressure gradient, the Coriolis effect, frictional forces, and centrifugal action of wind.

Why is there no wind at night?

At night, surface cooling reduces the eddy motion of the air. Surface winds will back and decrease. Conversely, during the day, surface heating increases the eddy motion of the air. Surface winds will veer and increase as stronger winds aloft mix to the surface.

What is the most common wind direction in the UK?

Winds are principally from the west to south-west. In winter months, winds of force 5 (8m/s) or greater are reported around 70% of the time in the west and around 60% in the east. In summer, winds of force 5 or greater are experienced 30% of the time in the west and 25% of the time in the east (UKHO 2012, 2004).

Why do you burn when it's windy?

Wind dehydrates your skin and increase the skins sensitivity to UV and thus burning.

Where is there no wind in the world?

The doldrums are a geographical band around the Earth near the equator where there is very little or no wind. Sailors gave it this name because of the depression and inactivity caused when their sailing ships would get stuck there for days or weeks.

What is the strongest wind ever recorded?

The record was finally bested on April 10, 1996, when an unmanned weather station on Australia's Barrow Island recorded 253 mph winds in the midst of Tropical Cyclone Olivia.

Is wind natural or man-made?

Wind is formed by pressure differences in the Earth's atmosphere, which are in turn due to temperature differences. In actual fact, the Sun heats the Earth's surface unevenly, creating areas of high and low pressure. Air always moves from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure, thereby generating wind.

What is the Coriolis Effect?

In simple terms, the Coriolis Effect makes things (like planes or currents of air) traveling long distances around the Earth appear to move at a curve as opposed to a straight line. It's a pretty weird phenomenon, but the cause is simple: Different parts of the Earth move at different speeds.

Where the wind blows originally?

When the Wind Blows is a 1986 British adult animated disaster film directed by Jimmy Murakami based on Raymond Briggs' graphic novel of the same name. The film stars the voices of John Mills and Peggy Ashcroft as the two main characters and was scored by Roger Waters.

What are some interesting facts about wind?

Why is the UK so windy?

This is because the prevailing west to southwesterly winds across the UK lead to northern and western areas being typically more exposed than the south and east. There are also a lot of localised effects with most hills, mountains and coasts being windier than low-lying inland areas.

Where is the most wind on Earth?

Commonwealth Bay, Antartica

The Guinness Book of World Records and National Geographic Atlas have both listed this bay in Antarctica as the windiest place on the planet.

What is the strongest ever UK wind?

However, the strongest wind recorded in the UK wasn't during a storm. In March 1986, on the summit of the Cairngorms in the Highlands of Scotland, a wind gust of 173mph (278km/h) was recorded.

Does rain reduce wind speed?

The team behind the calculations say that the atmosphere's energy balance will drop as climate change increases rainfall, slightly weakening winds around the world. As a raindrop falls it is slowed by contact with the air. This friction takes energy away from the droplet, dissipating it in the atmosphere.

Why can't I sleep when it's windy?

Another weather issue that may affect your ability to sleep properly is noises from strong winds and thunderstorms. Unusual loud and sudden noises can distract you or create a feeling of anxiety, keeping you awake for longer during the night.

What time of day is the wind strongest?

Wind gusts are generally stronger in the afternoon due to the combination of two main factors: temperature changes and sunshine. During the day, the ground heats up, which creates a temperature difference between the air near the ground and the air aloft.

What is the primary driver of all wind?

Wind results from a horizontal difference in air pressure and since the sun heats different parts of the Earth differently, causing pressure differences, the Sun is the driving force for most winds.

What is Ferrel's law?

: a statement in meteorology: a wind in any direction tends to deflect to the right in the northern hemisphere and to the left in the southern with a force that is directly proportional to the mass of wind in question, its velocity, the sine of the latitude, and the angular velocity of the earth's rotation.

Are wind and air the same thing?

Wind is air that is moving. Air is made out of tiny particles called molecules that we cannot see. Wind makes objects move because the molecules in air hit the objects and move them.