Wind Formation and Patterns

Wind Formation

• Wind is created by differences in air pressure and temperature
• Warmer air rises, cooler air sinks
• Air flows from areas of high pressure to low pressure
• This movement of air creates wind

Wind Patterns

• Trade Winds blow from the south-east towards the north-west in South America
• Polar Winds blow from the north in the Northern Hemisphere
• These patterns are driven by differences in temperature between high and low latitudes

Hurricanes

• A hurricane is a large storm with very high wind speeds
• Hurricanes form when air moves from a high-pressure zone to a low-pressure zone at high speeds
• Wind speeds can exceed 300 km/h
• Hurricanes occur in low-latitude areas, near the equator
• Different names are given to hurricanes depending on their location:
  • Hurricanes in the North Atlantic and Eastern Pacific
  • Typhoons in the Western Pacific
  • Cyclones in the Indian Ocean

Climate Zones of America

• A map of America reveals various climate zones
• Northern latitudes exhibit cold climates
• Mid-latitudes often experience wet and humid climates

Erosive Phenomena

• The formation of mountains typically involves the erosion of landforms and the interaction of tectonic plates
• Glaciers significantly modify the landscape
• Snow accumulates, erodes land, and forms glacial valleys, lakes, and lagoons
• Glacial deposits are called moraines