Understanding the hidden language of the wind: this is how the invisible force that shapes our climate works
The wind is much more than moving air: it is the silent driver of a large part of the atmospheric weather. Understanding it allows us to anticipate phenomena, from sudden gales to global currents that define the climate of the entire planet.
What is wind really?
Wind is nothing more than air moving towards low-pressure areas. This contrast is because warm air rises, creating areas of low pressure, while cold air descends and generates high pressure. Without these differences, there would be no wind, no storms, and no meteorological variations.
Behind it all is the Sun, which unevenly heats the Earth: the equator receives more energy than the poles. The result is a mechanism that sets the atmospheric machinery in motion.
🔄The breeze is a gentle and periodic wind that occurs mainly in coastal areas due to the temperature difference between the sea and the land.
🌬️It is the daily breath of Cartagena:
☀️During the day, it blows from the sea to the land and cools the coast.
🌙At night, it flows from the land to the sea.
The role of Earth’s rotation
Earth’s rotation modifies the trajectory of the air through the Coriolis effect. In the northern hemisphere, the wind veers to the right, and in the south, to the left. This causes the air to not flow in a straight line, but in curved paths that feed cyclones, anticyclones, and frontal systems.
Thus, the large “cells” of circulation are configured: air that rises at the equator and moves back towards the poles. When masses of warm air collide with cold ones, storms are born that bring wind and rain to much of our regions.
How do we measure the wind?
The quintessential instrument is the anemometer, which calculates wind speed based on cups that rotate with the air current. It often incorporates a weather vane, indicating the direction.
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Speed is measured in knots or km/h.
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Gusts (peaks in three seconds) and average values in ten-minute intervals are recorded.
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A gale is defined between 34 and 40 sustained knots, while higher intensities fall into storm or severe weather categories.
Terrain has a significant impact: obstacles such as trees or buildings can alter measurements. Therefore, anemometers are installed in open and clear spaces, at sufficient heights.
Wind, a vital force
Wind not only transports air: it redistributes heat, humidity, and pollutants, regulates ecosystems, and conditions human life. From wind energy to predicting floods or fires, understanding its dynamics is crucial in a world where it increasingly alters its patterns.
