11. Global Wind Distribution Flashcards
Term
Definition
Coriolis Effect
The effect of Earth’s rotation on the direction of winds and currents.
Doldrums
Equatorial regions of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans with calms, sudden storms, and light unpredictable winds.
Easterlies
Winds blowing from the east, typically found at latitudes above 60 degrees in both hemispheres.
Ferrel Cell
A mid-latitude atmospheric circulation cell for weather patterns.
Geostrophic Wind
A wind that is balanced by the Coriolis force and the pressure gradient force.
Hadley Cell
A tropical atmospheric circulation that features rising motion near the equator, flowing poleward at high altitudes, sinking at the subtropics, and then returning equatorward near the surface.
Horse Latitudes
Subtropical regions located at about 30 degrees north and south, known for calm winds.
Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ)
The region that circles the Earth, near the equator, where the trade winds of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres come together.
Jet Stream
Fast flowing, narrow air currents found in the atmosphere around 10 kilometers above the surface of the Earth.
Katabatic Wind
A wind that carries high density air from a higher elevation down a slope under the force of gravity.
Monsoon
Seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea.
Northeaster
A wind or storm from the northeast.
Ocean Currents
The continuous, directed movement of seawater generated by forces acting upon it such as wind, the Coriolis effect, breaking waves, and temperature and salinity differences.
Polar Cell
Atmospheric circulation in the polar regions characterized by cold sinking air that flows from the poles towards lower latitudes.
Roaring Forties
Strong westerly winds found in the Southern Hemisphere, generally between the latitudes of 40 and 50 degrees.
Southeaster
Winds or storms that come from the southeast.
Trade Winds
Prevailing pattern of easterly surface winds found in the tropics within the lower portion of the Earth’s atmosphere, in the lower section of the troposphere near the Earth’s equator.
Upwelling
A process in which deep, cold water rises toward the surface.
Westerlies
Winds from the west that occur in the temperate zones of the Earth.
Zonal Flow
Large-scale atmospheric flow in which the east-west component is dominant.
Anticyclone
A weather phenomenon characterized by high atmospheric pressure at its center, associated with calm, fine weather.
Barometric Pressure
Pressure exerted by the atmosphere at any given point.
Cyclone
An area of closed, circular fluid motion rotating in the same direction as the Earth.
Diurnal Temperature Variation
The variation between a high temperature and a low temperature that occurs during the same day.
Equinox
The time or date at which the sun crosses the celestial equator, when day and night are of approximately equal length.
Foehn Wind
A dry, warm, down-slope wind that occurs in the lee of a mountain range.
Gulf Stream
A warm, swift Atlantic ocean current that originates in the Gulf of Mexico and flows into the Atlantic at the tip of Florida, accelerating along the eastern coastlines of the United States and Newfoundland.
Humidity
The amount of water vapor present in the air.
Isotherm
A line on a map connecting points having the same temperature at a given time or on average over a given period.
Knockdown
A severe form of capsize where a vessel is laid on its side or completely overturned by the force of the wind.
