What are the effects of trade winds?

What are the effects of trade winds?

Trade winds have a big influence on the climate to the north and to the south of the equator. The main effects are: Continuous removal of humidity from the areas around the tropics = desertification. Continuous supply of humidity to the equator region = rain forest.

How do trade winds carry dust?

Winds and updrafts kick up the dry top layer of soil and raise it high into the atmosphere. Easterly trade winds can then carry the dust into the Atlantic. Sometimes, when the dust plume is large enough and the easterly winds are strong enough, the plume travels all the way to the Caribbean and even the United States.

What happens when trade winds meet at the equator?

When it occurs within a trade wind regime, it is known as a trade wind inversion. The surface air that flows from these subtropical high-pressure belts toward the Equator is deflected toward the west in both hemispheres by the Coriolis effect. The trade winds of both hemispheres meet at the Doldrums.

Why do trade winds weaken?

The air-sea interaction that occur during an El Niño event feed off of each other. As the pressure falls in the east and rises in the west, the surface pressure gradient is reduced and the trade winds weaken.

How do trade winds affect weather?

Intense solar heat in the doldrums warms and moistens the trade winds, thrusting air upwards into the atmosphere like a hot air balloon. As the air rises, it cools, causing persistent bands of showers and storms in the tropics and rainforests.

How does the wind affect a flight plan?

Flight planning is done based on weather conditions and winds are a major factor in picking the most suitable flight plan. Tailwinds make travel faster and save fuel. During flight, winds have an effect on the plane’s speed, so they must be taken into consideration if the aircraft wants to stay on schedule.

Why are the trade winds important to sailors?

The trade winds have been used by sailors for centuries. Sailors traveling from Europe or Africa used the trade winds to travel to North or South America. Just like airplanes can use the wind boost from the jet stream to shorten a journey flying east, sailors can use the trade winds to shorten a sea journey when sailing west.

How does trade winds affect the Atlantic Ocean?

In the Atlantic Ocean, some of these storms become hurricanes, and the trade winds can steer hurricanes west toward the United States. NOAA’s GOES-East satellite keeps an eye on how trade winds impact the movement of hurricanes and tropical storms toward the southeastern United States.

Why do trade winds blow from east to West?

Why do the trade winds blow from east to west? The trade winds blow toward the west partly because of how Earth rotates on its axis. The trade winds begin as warm, moist air from the equator rises in the atmosphere and cooler air closer to the poles sinks. The trade winds are created by a cycle of warm, moist air rising near the equator.