Global Wind Patterns - AP Environmental Science

Winds moving over long distances. Coriolis effect is strongest when winds travel great distances across latitudes.

Distributing heat and moisture around the planet. Transport thermal energy from warm equatorial regions to cooler polar areas.

To circulate air between 30° and 60° latitude. Mid-latitude circulation cell that transfers energy between tropical and polar regions.

Cold, dry winds blowing from the east near the poles. High-latitude winds flowing from polar high-pressure areas toward lower latitudes.

It creates stormy conditions where cold and warm air meet. Boundary zone where contrasting air masses create unstable weather conditions.

Earth's rotation. Spinning planet deflects moving objects, including air masses and winds.

Cyclones rotate counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere. Coriolis deflection creates rotational motion in low-pressure storm systems.

Winds moving over long distances. Coriolis effect is strongest when winds travel great distances across latitudes.

From the northeast to the southwest. Coriolis effect deflects easterly winds toward the right in the Northern Hemisphere.

To separate tropical and subtropical air masses. High-altitude wind current marking the boundary between tropical and temperate zones.

From the southeast to the northwest. Coriolis effect deflects easterly winds toward the left in the Southern Hemisphere.

A region where the trade winds converge near the equator. Low-pressure zone where rising air creates clouds and precipitation.

From west to east in the upper atmosphere. High-altitude wind current flowing along the boundary between polar and warmer air.

Rising air and frequent thunderstorms. Convergence zone where warm, moist air rises and creates tropical weather.

A region of high pressure and calm winds. Subtropical belt around 30° latitude where descending air creates stable conditions.

Temperature differences between cold polar air and warmer air. Temperature gradients between air masses determine jet stream strength and position.

It rises, creating low pressure. Intense solar heating causes thermal expansion and upward air movement.

The descending limb of the Hadley Cell. High-pressure zone at 30°N creates dry, sinking air over desert regions.

It circulates cold air from the poles toward lower latitudes. High-latitude circulation that transports cold polar air toward warmer regions.

They determine regions of high and low rainfall. Rising and sinking air patterns control where deserts and rainforests form.

Air moves poleward and eastward. Mid-latitude circulation driven by interaction between Hadley and Polar cells.

The Hadley Cell. Tropical circulation pattern extending from equatorial heating to subtropical highs.

The jet stream is a band of strong winds in the upper atmosphere. High-altitude rivers of fast-moving air that steer surface weather systems.

Differential heating of land and sea. Seasonal temperature contrasts between continents and oceans drive wind reversals.

Due to Earth's axial tilt and orbit. Earth's orbital position changes solar heating patterns throughout the year.

A region of calm winds near the equator. Also called ITCZ, where converging trade winds create light variable winds.

They help drive surface ocean currents. Wind friction drags surface water, creating circulation patterns in ocean basins.

The tilt of Earth's axis and its orbit around the sun. Seasonal solar angle changes move the zone of maximum heating north and south.

Polar easterlies. Cold winds from polar regions flowing eastward toward lower latitudes.