Wind
Geography: KS3, topic 5.1.10
Wind
Meteorologists measure both the wind speed and the wind direction.
Wind speed
- Wind speed is measured in m/sec or km/h using an anemometer.
- Sailors may record the wind speed in knots.
- The Beaufort scale can be used to estimate the wind speed by observation.
- The Beaufort scale records the wind speed on a twelve point scale between Force 0 (calm) and Force 12 (hurricane).
Wind direction
- The wind direction is a compass direction where the wind is coming from.
Sea breezes
- The land on the coast warms up quicker than the sea.
- The air above the land on the coast is warmed up.
- The warm air above the land on the coast rises. This is known as convection.
- Cooler air is drawn in from above the sea. This movement of air is a sea breeze.
- Sea breezes keep coastal locations cooler on hot sunny days.
Test yourself on Wind
What do meteorologists use to measure wind speed?
What do we call the process of warm air above land on the coast rising?