User:Atcovi/Winds

Air Rises at the Equator and Sinks at the Poles
The equator receives more direct solar energy than other latitudes, so air in the equator becomes warm. With warm it, it raises because it is less dense than its surrounding area. This warm air rises and creates a low pressure. This area of low pressure flows towards the poles. At the poles, the air is colder, so the air sinks--this is because the air is colder and denser than the surrounding air. As this cold air sinks, it creases areas of high pressure around the poles. The cold air then flows towards the equator.

Pressure Belts are Found Every 30 degrees
Air travels in many large and circular patterns called convection cells. These cells are separated by pressure belts (bands of high pressure an low pressure found every 30 degrees of latitude).

As warm air rises over the equator and moves toward the poles, they start to cool down. At about 30 degrees north and south, some of the cool air begins to sink. This cool, sinking air causes high pressure belts near 30 degrees north and south latitude. This cool air flows back to the equator where it gets warmed up [again]. At the poles, cold air sinks and moves toward the equator, thus being warmed on its way. Around 60 north and south latitude, the warmer air rises, which, [in return], creates low pressure belts. This air flows back to the poles.
 * What creates High pressure belts
 * What creates Low pressure belts

Global Winds
The combination of convection cells found at very 30 degrees of latitude and the Coriolis effect produces patterns of air circulation known as global winds. Wind belts extends from the poles to 60 degrees latitude in both hemispheres are known as polar easterlies. The polar easterlies are formed as cold, sinking air moves from the poles toward 60 degrees north and south latitude. In the NH, these wind belts can carry cold arctic air over the US, producing snow and freezing weather. The wind belts found between 30 and 60 degrees latitude in both hemispheres are called the westerlies. The westerlies flow towards the poles from west to east. The westerlies possibly can carry moist air over the US, therefore producing rain and snow. In both hemispheres, the winds that blow from 30 degrees latitude almost to the equator are called trade winds. The Coriolis effect causes the trade winds to sail from Europe to the Americas. As a result, the winds famously became known as "trade winds". The trade winds of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres meet in an area [around the equator] known as the doldrums. In the doldrums, there is very little wind because the warm, rising air creates an area of low pressure. A way to remember this is that doldrums mean "dull". At about 30 degrees north and south latitude, sinking air creates an area of high pressure. The winds at these locations are weak. These areas are called the horse latitudes. According to legend, this name was given to these areas when sailing ships carried horses. When the ships were stuck in this area, horses were sometimes thrown overboard to save drinking water for the sailors.
 * Polar Easterlies
 * Westerlies
 * Trade Winds
 * Doldrums
 * Horse Latitudes