Day to Day Changes
The Sun is the energy that drives the weather. Energy from the Sun travels through the atmosphere to the Earth in the form of radiation and provides heat for the land and water, which in turn, then warms up the air above the land and water. Because this process is uneven, (some places are hotter than others are) wind patterns form above these hot spots, as there is a difference in air temperature and pressure.
To explain this: imagine a chunk of air above an area of land that has been heated. As the air is heated, the air expands and floats upwards, leaving an area of low pressure. Cooler air from around this hot spot where the pressure is higher then moves in to replace the warmed air and equalize the pressure. This movement of air is felt as wind. Because wind patterns help to even out the distribution of heat over the Earth's surface, they help to create the type of weather each place has. Some winds only blow in one place, and have a specific name - France's Mistral wind for example, while other winds are part of a huge global pattern that sends winds around the world.
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Oceans & Water Navigation
Quick Facts
How Weather Works
The Atmosphere
Day to Day Changes <<
The Power of the Sun
The Suns Energy
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