Wind is the movement of air in the atmosphere from one place to another. Wind can move at different speeds and strengths. Wind can be warm or cold. The movement of the wind makes the clouds move and changes the weather.
The Earth’s atmosphere is made up of areas of high and low pressure. These are caused by differences in the temperature of the air and the Earth’s surface. Areas of high pressure push air towards areas of lower pressure. This movement of air is what we call wind.
This weather scientist (meteorologist) uses a floating balloon to measure the wind.
Meteorologists study winds around the world. The trade winds blow towards the Equator from the north-east in the Northern hemisphere and the south-east in the Southern hemisphere. Where these winds meet around the Equator, there is an area of low pressure and gentle winds called the doldrums. The Westerlies are also trade winds flowing west to east.
Monsoon winds blow across southern Asia. They are powerful and bring heavy rainfall. In India, farmers rely on the monsoon winds and rain for their crops.