What are called westerlies?

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 are they called westerlies?

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. … This distinction is due to the air pressure over the poles during the winter. Lower pressure means stronger westerly winds.

What are westerlies and easterlies?

When air moves in a definite direction, it is called wind. If the winds move from west to east, they are called westerlies. If they move from east to west, they are called easterlies. … The direction of wind is also affected by coriolis affect.

Where are westerlies located?

middle latitudes
Prevailing Westerlies are the winds in the middle latitudes between 35 and 65 degrees latitude. They tend to blow from the high pressure area in the horse latitudes towards the poles. These prevailing winds blow from the west to the east steering extratropical cyclones in this general manner.

Are westerlies cold or warm?

The winter westerlies, often from the southwest, bring in warm tropical air; in summer, by contrast, they veer to the northwest and bring in cooler Arctic or subarctic air. In Mediterranean Europe the rain-bearing westerlies chiefly affect the western areas, but only in winter.

What are westerlies Class 7?

Westerlies are also known as Shrieking Sixties, Furious Fifties and Roaring Forties. These winds blow from the subtropical high-pressure belts towards sub-polar low-pressure belts. The westerlies of the Southern hemisphere are stronger and constant as compared to that of the Northern hemisphere.

Which two zones are the westerlies?

The term westerlies refers to the zone of winds poleward from the subtropical high-pressure belt, present in both the Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere, that is characterized by migratory cyclones and anticyclones traveling generally west to east.

What is the difference between trade winds and westerlies?

Trade winds blow between 30° North and 30° South latitudes but the westerlies blow between 30° and 60° on either side of the equator. … The westerlies become more severe in the Southern hemisphere because of the lack of land and dominance of oceans.

What direction do westerlies move?

Westerlies are prevailing winds that blow from the west at midlatitudes.

Are south westerly winds cold?

Southwesterly wind bring warm air from the tropics, which is cooled from below as it moves northwards over a gradually cooling sea.

Are westerlies surface winds?

In the middle latitudes the circulation is that of sinking cold air that comes from the poles and the rising warm air that blows from the subtropical high. At the surface these winds are called westerlies and the cell is known as the Ferrel cell.

What is the impact of westerlies on Europe?

The westerlies have a greater climatic influence in western Europe because the west coast is constantly exposed to predominant westerly winds. In winter westerlies bring in warm tropical air from the southwest warming up the weather conditions.

Why do westerly winds occur?

What Causes Westerlies? Westerlies are formed due to high-pressure systems within the mid-latitudes. The hot air near the equator rises, and the cold air from surrounding areas replaces the hot air. The air begins to circulate, which is how the westerlies are formed.

What is Ferrel cell in geography?

Ferrel cell, model of the mid-latitude segment of Earth’s wind circulation, proposed by William Ferrel (1856). In the Ferrel cell, air flows poleward and eastward near the surface and equatorward and westward at higher altitudes; this movement is the reverse of the airflow in the Hadley cell.

How do westerlies affect climate?

The westerlies have a greater climatic influence in western Europe because the west coast is constantly exposed to predominant westerly winds. In winter westerlies bring in warm tropical air from the southwest warming up the weather conditions.

What is easterly wind?

An easterly wind is a wind that blows from the east. … the cold easterly winds from Scandinavia.

Why do Ferrel cells form?

Note that rising warm, moist air results in a low pressure zone and descending cold, dry air results in a high pressure zone. … After the Hadley Cell, we have to consider “Ferrel Cells.” Ferrel Cells connect sinking air in the arid zone to the westerlies poleward of the arid zone.

Why is there a Ferrel cell?

An atmospheric cell lying between the Polar cell and the Hadley cell. It transfers warm air to high latitudes and shifts cold air back to the subtropics, where it is warmed. The Ferrel cell is a consequence of the stationary and transient eddy circulations in the mid-latitudes.