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Types of Wind

The wind is an air movement caused due to air pressure differences in the atmosphere. The wind always flows from the high air pressure area to the low air pressure area, it is to equalize the differences in air pressure. The higher the air pressure difference, the greater the flow of wind. The wind is classified into three main categories, they are primary wind, secondary wind, and tertiary wind.

Types of wind

Horse Latitude

Horse latitudes or subtropical highs are subtropical latitudes between 30 and 35 degrees both north and south over the oceans.

Planetary winds

Planetary winds comprise winds distributed throughout the lower atmosphere.

Trade winds

The trade winds are winds that reliably blow east to west just north and south of the equator.

Westerlies Winds

The westerlies are also known as anti-trades and prevailing westerlies. These winds are found in the middle latitudes between 30 and 60 degrees latitude, blowing from the high pressure area in the horse latitudes towards the poles.

Polar winds

Polar winds blow from the polar high pressure to the sub polar low pressure area. The polar wind or plasma fountain is a permanent outflow of plasma from the polar regions of Earth’s magnetosphere, caused by the interaction between the solar wind and the Earth’s atmosphere.

Doldrums winds

The Intertropical Convergence Zone, known by sailors as the doldrums or the calms because of its monotonous windless weather, is the area where the northeast and the southeast trade winds converge. It encircles Earth near the thermal equator though its specific position varies seasonally.

Periodic winds

The winds which change their direction periodically with change in season are called periodic winds.

Local winds

Local differences in temperature and pressure on the land causes changes in air pressure due to which local wind blows.