Prevailing Winds

Winds blown in one direction over the earth’s surface.

What are prevailing winds?

• Easterly winds• Westerly winds

The most frequent wind direction that a location experiences.

Prevailing winds effect the climate of a landmass by blowing over warm or cold oceans.

Prevailing winds in Africa

Southwest coast of Africa is cooled by the Benguela current.

Southwest coast and the benguela current

The south Atlantic ocean is cold and warm in some places

Causes currents to change

Warm because its on the equator.

The south equatorial spreads warm water to south and north America

Prevailing winds can affect the climate because it pushes the current away from the shore

Effects of prevailing winds

The prevailing winds cause the current to move which makes the extra water fill up in the area, making the benguela current cold.

The benguela current

This is why the benguela current is cold, this therefore makes that region of land cooler then other parts of Africa.

Prevailing wind effect

This shows that the prevailing winds will be warm because the Indian ocean is warm.

The earth is encircled by broad prevailing wind belts which are separated by regions of subsidence and ascent.

ascent is when the wind rises up into the air and subsidence relates to how the wind lowers down and these changes are due to the change of pressure.

The direction and location of these wind belts are controlled by the rotation of the earth and solar radiations

Prevailing Winds

Subsidence and Ascent

Circulation Cells and prevailing wind belts.

A region of ascent: the wind current rises up from the sun’s rays.

A region of subsidence because the air is lowering due to the change of pressure.

Wind Circulation

Prevailing Winds in the UK

http://www.saeonmarine.co.za/SADCOFunStuff/MajorOceanCurrents.htm http://www.eoearth.org/article/Atlantic_Ocean http://www.coastalsurvey.com/trip/africa/ http://oceancurrents.rsmas.miami.edu/atlantic/south-atlantic.html

http://www.seos-project.eu/modules/oceancurrents/oceancurrents-c04-p05.html

"Satellite Applications for Geoscience Education." Satellite Applications for Geoscience Education. N.p., 2007. Web. 05 Mar. 2013. <http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/sage/meteorology/lesson2/intro.html>.

"Eastern England: Climate." Met Office: Regional Climate: Eastern England. Met Office, 2004. Web. 06 Mar. 2013. <http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/ee/print.html>

"Photograph of Prevailing Winds." Wind-sculpted Trees on the Pembrokeshire Coast:: OS Grid SM9939. Ordnance Survey, 2006. Web. 06 Mar. 2013. <http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/298264>.