Winds

By:Immad Alam
Wind
• Wind is the movement of air relative to the Earth’s Surface in
response to the imbalance of forces acting on air molecules
• Wind can be both horizontal and vertical
Forces causing air movement
1. Pressure Gradient Force
The difference in surface pressure over a given distance between
two locations is called the pressure gradient. When there is a
pressure gradient, it causes the air to move from one point to the
other
Forces causing air movement
2. Coriolis Force
The force caused due to rotation of the Earth
It deflects wind to the right in Northern Hemisphere and to
the left in Southern Hemisphere
Geostrophic Wind
• The geostrophic wind is the theoretical wind that would result
from an exact balance between the Coriolis effect and the
pressure gradient force. This condition is called geostrophic
balance
Global System of Winds
• The Major World pressure belts are as follows

1. Equatorial low pressure belt

2. Subtropical High Pressure belts
3. Upper Mid-latitude Low
4. Polar High
Types of Winds
1. Land And Sea Breeze
In coastal regions in the day, land is heated more quickly than the sea
which causes low pressure and wind blows sea to land causing sea
breeze
Opposite happens at night which produces land breeze
Types of Winds
2. John/Chinook Wind
Dry wind experienced on the leeward side of the mountain
During descent, the wind temp increases due to friction
Types of Winds
3. Katabatic Wind
A wind that carries high density air from a higher elevation
down a slope under the force of gravity
It originates due to cooling of air atop a plateau, a
mountain, glacier, or even a hill
Types of Winds
• Monsoon Winds
• Monsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind
accompanied by corresponding changes in rainfall
Monsoon
• Summer Monsoon (South Western Winds)
• Winter Monsoon (North Western Winds)