What roles do composition,
structure, and properties
play in our atmosphere?
Coriolis Effect
 Because the Earth rotates, and consists of a mixture of
land and sea, the Coriolis Effect exists
 The Coriolis Effect is the movement of particles
(such as air) to the right in the Northern Hemisphere
 How about the South?
 They move to the left
Coriolis Effect
Global Winds
 Global wind patterns are caused by:
 Coriolis Effect
 The land and sea makeup of Earth
Warm Moist Air Rises
Cool Dry Air Sinks
Warm Moist Air Rises
Cool Dry Air Sinks
Cold Moist Air Rises
Cool Dry Air Sinks
Warm Moist Air Rises
Cool Dry Air Sinks
Cold Moist Air Rises
Very Cold Air Sinks
Cold Moist Air Rises
Cool Dry Air Sinks
Warm Moist Air Rises
Cool Dry Air Sinks
Cold Moist Air Rises
Very Cold Air Sinks
Very Cold Air Sinks
H
Cold Moist Air Rises
L
H
Cool Dry Air Sinks
L
Warm Moist Air Rises
Cool Dry Air Sinks
Cold Moist Air Rises
Very Cold Air Sinks
H
H
L
H
L
H
L
H
L
H
Wind Moves
from HIGH
to LOW
Objects are
deflected to
the
RIGHT in the
Northern
Hemisphere
And to the
LEFT in the
Southern
Hemisphere
Remember!
Wind gets its name
from the
direction it is blowing
FROM!
Northern Wind Patterns
 Polar Easterlies
 90 – 60 latitude from the east
 Prevailing Westerlies
 60 – 30 latitude from the west
 Trade winds
 30 – 0 latitude from the East
Latitude Nicknames
 Horse Latitudes
 30 latitude
 Named because the boats stalled and the horses had to
go!
 Doldrums / Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ)
 Equator
 Trade winds converge from north and south
 Named because boats also got stranded here
Jet Streams
 Jet Streams form at
latitudes where wind
systems come together
 High speed westerly
winds form high above
the surface