Question

Give detailed information about the types of planetary winds.

Answer 1

The following are the types of Planetary winds:

(i) Easterlies:

• In both the hemispheres, the winds that blow from the high pressure area between 25° & 35° parallels, to the equatorial low pressure belt (between 5°N & 5°S parallel) are called Easterlies.
• In the northern hemisphere they blow from northeast to southwest whereas in the southern hemisphere they blow from southeast to the northwest

(ii) Westerlies:

• In both the hemispheres, winds that blow from the mid-latitudinal high pressure belt to sub polar low pressure belt situated near 60° parallel are called westerlies.
• In the northern hemisphere, these winds blow from the southwest to the northeast & in the southern hemisphere, they blow from the northwest to the southeast.

(iii) Polar winds:

• In both the hemispheres, winds blowing from the polar high pressure belt to the sub polar low pressure belt (55° to 65°) are called polar winds.
• Generally they blow from east to west.