Trade winds are prevailing easterly winds that blow from east to west between 30 degrees latitude (both north and south) and the equator. They are named so because they were historically used by sailors for trade routes across oceans.
Doldrums: Areas near the equator where trade winds converge but lack strong horizontal movement due to weak pressure gradients.
Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ): A low-pressure belt near the equator where trade winds from both hemispheres meet, causing rising air and abundant rainfall.
Westerlies: Prevailing winds that blow from west to east between 30 and 60 degrees latitude in both hemispheres. They are influenced by the Coriolis effect and play a significant role in weather patterns.
AP Environmental Science - 4.5 Global Wind Patterns
Study guides for the entire semester
200k practice questions
Glossary of 50k key terms - memorize important vocab
About Fiveable
Blog
Careers
Code of Conduct
Terms of Use
Privacy Policy
CCPA Privacy Policy
Cram Mode
AP Score Calculators
Study Guides
Practice Quizzes
Glossary
Cram Events
Merch Shop
Crisis Text Line
Help Center
About Fiveable
Blog
Careers
Code of Conduct
Terms of Use
Privacy Policy
CCPA Privacy Policy
Cram Mode
AP Score Calculators
Study Guides
Practice Quizzes
Glossary
Cram Events
Merch Shop
Crisis Text Line
Help Center
© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.
AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.