×
FREE ASSISTANCE FOR THE INQUISITIVE PEOPLE
Tutorial Topics
X
softetechnologies
The Trade Winds The Polar Winds or the Polar Easterlies
The Westerlies - Physical Geography
2553    Dibyendu Banerjee & Sudipta Banerjee    31/10/2020

The Westerlies

The Westerliers are anti-trade winds blow from the sub tropical high pressure belts towards the sub polar low pressure belts and. crop up between 30 and 60 degrees latitude in the northern hemisphere and between 30 and 60 degrees latitude in the southern hemisphere. They are called the ‘Westerlies’ as they blow out of the west, while other winds run east to west.

softetechnologies

Due to the influence of the ‘Coriolis Force’, they blow from south­west to north-east in the northern hemisphere and north-west to south-east in the southern hemisphere. Unlike the trades, these winds are more powerful in winter. Moreover, they are not so constant in direction and strength as the trades. However, westerlies are strongest in the winter, when pressure over the pole is low, and weakest in summer, when the polar high creates stronger polar easterlies

the westerlies

In the southern hemisphere the westerlies are stronger, while those of the northern hemisphere are irregular. Due to the disruption caused by the huge landmasses in the northern hemisphere, the velocity and direction of the westerlies vary a great deal. So they are called the ‘variable westerlies’ and the belt of the variables is characterized by cyclones and anticyclones.

softetechnologies

However, in the southern hemisphere, due to the vast expanse of sea, especially between 40º and 60ºS latitudes, these winds blow uninterruptedly with much greater velocity and regularity as the ‘Brave West Wind’. The latitudes in which they blow are accordingly named as the ‘Roaring Forties’, ‘Furious Fifties’ and ‘Screaming Sixties’.

The weterlies blow on to the shore from the sea. Thus, as the weterlies blow from warm seas to cooler lands, they carry a lot of moisture and bring much precipitation to the western coasts of the continents in the mid-latitudes.

the westerlies
The westerlies (blue)
The Trade Winds The Polar Winds or the Polar Easterlies
softetechnologies
Author Details
Dibyendu Banerjee & Sudipta Banerjee
Article by Dibyendu Banerjee, an Ex-student of Scottish Church College, Kolkata. Authored several novels in Bengali and translated into Bengali novels/short stories of eminent writers of the world. Regularly contributes articles to different web sites on different subjects. Edited by Sudipta Banerjee, educated at Loreto House, Kolkata. Completed her B.A [Hons] in Geography and M.A from Presidency College, Kolkata, B.Ed from the Institution of Education for Women, Hasting House, Kolkata. Taught for 38 years, as Middle School Mistress at Victoria Boys’ School, Kuseong and as Asstt Teacher in Geography at Multipurpose Govt Girls’ School, Kolkata.
Enter New Comment
Comment History
No Comment Found Yet.
Albert Einstein
I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious.
Albert Einstein
1514
59.47
Today So Far
Total View (Lakh)
softetechnologies
26/05/2018     44338
01/01/2018     36726
25/06/2018     36300
28/06/2017     34765
02/08/2017     33321
01/08/2017     27720
06/07/2017     27486
15/05/2017     27080
14/07/2017     22796
11/09/2018     21441
softetechnologies