The Armed Forces of Malta

Wind Current

23.11.2022
Learning Goals
● What Wind Current is.

● Where Wind Current is applied.

● Wind Current Theory.

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What is Wind Current?

The water flow generated by the wind

acting on the water surface
over a period of time.

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How Much Time?

48 hours worth.

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Where is Wind Current Applied?

General Rules of Thumb:

● Water depths greater than 100 feet

(30 meters);

● Distances greater than 20 NM (32 Km)

from shore

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Wind Observations
● Wind is reported every 6 hours:

0000Z, 0600Z, 1200Z, 1800Z

● Reported as direction wind is blowing FROM

● Wind current direction is direction the water is

moving TO.

● Current speed is slower than wind speed

● Sources of wind observations

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Wind Current Theory

Coriolis Effect:

The effect on water caused by

the Earth’s rotation.

● Discovered by Gustave Coriolis 1792-1843

● Bends the direction of the wind current

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Coriolis Effect

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Global Wind Currents

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Coriolis Effect
● Amount of bend depends on:
Latitude
Time

● Coefficients applied to wind observations

● Results in downwind direction and speed

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Objective Review
● What is Wind Current?

● Where is Wind Current applied?

● Wind Current Theory

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 Questions?

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