Class Response: Winds

Winds! Winds! Winds! Wind can get really annoying sometimes, but it also helps our world keep cool. You may think that there is only one type of wind, wind. Well, in class I learned that there are actually 2 major types of winds, local winds and global winds. Local winds are winds that blow in absolutely any direction, depending on the location. These winds don't travel very far, and only cover short distances. Global winds on the other hand, are winds that blow in one direction and cover larger distances and may appear all around the world. These winds depend on the Earth's rotation, the earths movement around the sun, and because of the round shape of the world. In addition, Jetstreams, known as wind phenomena, are long bands of very strong wind. They occur at places where the contrast between hot and cold is very large. Jetstreams occur generally at an altitude of 30,000 - 40,000 feet.