WIND IN THE ATMOSPHERE

THE MOVEMENT OF AIR

• The sun's warmth on Earth causes the circulation of air
• Rising and sinking air in the atmosphere forms convection cells.
• Convection cells create high and low pressure belts on Earth
• The Coriolis effect is the curving path of a moving object
• The effect results in the rotation of Earth

GLOBAL WINDS

• Pressure belts and the Coriolis effect produce global winds
• There are three major global wind systems
• The easterlies, the westerlies, and trade winds
• Jet streams are bands of high-speed winds in the upper troposphere

LOCAL WINDS

• These winds move short distances and are variable in direction
• Sea breeze is a cool breeze that develops over land near coasts
• Land breeze is a breeze that moves from land to water
• Valley breeze is a gentle wind that blows up a valley slope
• Mountain breeze is a breeze that blows down a mountain slope