Why trade winds are called westerlies?

If the winds move from west to east, they are called westerlies. If they move from east to west, they are called easterlies. The Coriolis force explains why winds circulate around high and low pressure systems as opposed to blowing in the direction of the pressure gradient.

Where do the trade winds and westerlies originate?

The westerlies, anti-trades, or prevailing westerlies, are prevailing winds from the west toward the east in the middle latitudes between 30 and 60 degrees latitude. They originate from the high-pressure areas in the horse latitudes and trend towards the poles and steer extratropical cyclones in this general manner.

Why do the westerlies exist?

The name of these unique winds comes from the direction of their origin; the westerlies run west to east while other winds run east to west. Essentially, the air around the equator rises as it heats up. This upward motion causes the cooler air at higher altitudes to be moved to the previously mentioned latitudes.

What are the trade winds and why are they so important?

The Short Answer: The winds help ships travel west, and they can also steer storms such as hurricanes, too. When you’re outside, you might notice that one day the wind blows one direction and the next day, wind is blowing a different direction.

What causes the trade winds to move from east to West?

The Coriolis Effect, in combination with an area of high pressure, causes the prevailing winds—the trade winds—to move from east to west on both sides of the equator across this 60-degree “belt.” As the wind blows to about five degrees north and south of the equator, both air and ocean currents come to a halt in a band of hot, dry air.

What do trade winds do to a ship?

The trade winds are winds that reliably blow east to west just north and south of the equator. The winds help ships travel west, and they can also steer storms such as hurricanes, too.

Why are there no trade winds at the equator?

Right at the equator there is almost no wind at all—an area sometimes called the doldrums. Earth’s rotation causes the trade winds to curve toward the west in the Northern Hemisphere and the east in the Southern Hemisphere. The area of almost no wind at the equator is called the doldrums.

When did Europeans find out about trade winds?

In the Pacific ocean, the full wind circulation, which included both the trade wind easterlies and higher-latitude Westerlies, was unknown to Europeans until Andres de Urdaneta’s voyage in 1565. The captain of a sailing ship seeks a course along which the winds can be expected to blow in the direction of travel.