Determination of wind direction and speed. East wind What does east wind mean?

Wind

The direction of the wind is indicated by the country of the world from which it blows, and the letters of the Latin alphabet are used for abbreviation: N- means north, E- East, S- south, W- west, C- calm. Usually there are 8 directions, or rhumbs, namely, to the above they add: NE- northeast, S.E.- southeast, S.W.- southwest, NW- northwest. Sailors distinguish between 16 and 32 points. In the first case NNE- denotes north-northeast, ENE- east-northeast, ESE- east-southeast, etc.; and if 32 points are distinguished, then they add t(ten), e.g. NtE means the wind between N And NNE, EtN wind between E And ENE etc. It should also be added that among our sailors, especially in the navy, the Dutch designation of the cardinal points is accepted - a custom that has been preserved since the time of Peter the Great: N- nord, E- ost, S- south, W- news If precise designation is required, then resort to degrees of a circle, starting with N through E, S, W And N. Thus, NE will be = 45°, NW= 315°, etc. Sometimes, to abbreviate the numbers, they denote the numbers of degrees from the nearest of the four main directions, e.g. N2°E denotes wind at 2° right from N, a E2°N- wind at 2° left from E.

Drawing 1. Weather vane.

Used to measure wind direction vane(see drawing 1), which is installed vertically in an open and elevated place, e.g. on a tower, roof of a building or high pole. The weather vane must be easily movable, otherwise it will not indicate weak winds, and may also be stable. In this regard, wedge-shaped weather vanes, such as the one shown in drawing 1, deserve preference. The ball on the left serves as a counterweight. At the bottom there is an index of the countries of the world. Instead of a weather vane, you can also use a pennant, that is, a small flag attached to a pole, or the direction of the smoke. To observe the movement of air layers, observe the movement of clouds (see this word) and the movement of smoke from high hills ( volcanoes). The drawing depicts a weather vane, through which it is possible to approximately determine and wind speed, for which a tin board freely rotating on a horizontal axis is attached to the top ( A). During calm periods it hangs vertically, and when there is wind it rises, depending on its strength, to one of the 8 pins (divisions) on the arc (b), on the following scale:

Drawing 2. System anemometer Robinson.

In coastal areas and generally where there are very strong winds, there is another, heavier board in stock, which in strong winds is worn instead of the usual one. A special scale has been compiled for it. Mentioned weather vane with plaque - the instrument is very rough; To more accurately measure wind speed, anemometers (wind meters) are used, most often shown in Fig. 2 anemometer systems Robinson. A horizontal cross rotates freely on a vertical axis, at the ends of which are attached hollow metal hemispheres, with holes facing one direction. The rotation of the cups sets the gears in motion, and they, in turn, move the dial arrow shown at the bottom of the drawing. On the European mainland they usually give readings in meters. If we want to know the wind speed for given time, then we count the dial readings at the beginning and end, subtract the first number from the second and divide by the number of seconds that have passed. If, for example, the dial was at 15, and at the end of the minute at 90, then, therefore, average speed The wind was 1 1/4 meters per second.

Robinson anemometer easily converts into self-writer, or recording(see article Meteorological instruments). Robinson's hemispheres, or circles, are quite heavy, the friction is high, and therefore they have great inertia, that is, they are not very easily set in motion, and once set in motion they do not stop for several seconds, and with strong movement, even minutes after it stops. Br. Richard in Paris built an anemometer in which, instead of circling, light aluminum wings are set in motion, very easily set in motion and easily stopped. In addition to air speed, it is also important to know wind force or the pressure exerted on a given unit of surface. It depends on the speed of movement and density of the medium, therefore a wind of the same speed will not exert the same pressure on a given surface in the lower layer of air and on high mountain, winter and summer, etc.

Then, often, especially during storms and whirlwinds, the wind blows in gusts, that is, its strength or pressure changes quickly, and ordinary anemometers that record wind speed are not able to track rapid changes in wind strength. Meanwhile, for science and practice it is very important to know in particular the maximum pressure that occurs during storms. To measure wind force or pressure proceed as follows. A vertically placed board is mounted on a weather vane, in the middle there is a square movable part, behind it there are springs; this part is acted upon by wind, and the strength of the wind is judged by the magnitude of the movement of the springs. According to the latest Ferrel formula, based on precise experiments

Where p- pressure in English pounds per square English foot, v- wind speed in English miles at one o'clock, t- air temperature in °C, P 0- pressure 760 mm, R - actual observed air pressure. This formula makes it possible to calculate the relationship between wind speed and its strength (pressure). At air pressure = 760 mm and temperature = 15 °C we have R = 0.00255v. Previous formulas did not take into account air pressure and temperature, but were accepted empirically p = 0.005v., that is, almost twice the actual value. The maximum wind pressure is very important to know for many purposes in practical life, especially for calculating the stability of buildings. Famous disaster- destruction of the large bridge over Tay Bay ( Forth of Tay) in Scotland - occurred precisely because the greatest pressure was not calculated correctly. The speed of wind on the European continent is usually designated in meters per second, sometimes in kilometers or (ours) miles per hour, and in England and the United States - in English miles per hour. To convert numbers expressed in these units, to meters per second, need to multiply miles per hour by 3.38; kilometers per hour by 3.6; English mph by 1.96 (hence almost double). In cases where wind speed is not measured, but determined by eye, it is usually indicated by numbers, or so-called. points, from 0 to 6.

The following table allows you to convert Beaufort scale points to meters per second. For points 1 - 8 there are correct definitions by V. P. Keppen. For points 9 - 12 one has to be content with Scott's less accurate numbers, and the latter's numbers have been reduced by me to the extent of 8:10.

Beaufort scale m per second
Points. The sails of the ship and its progress. According to Köppen. Corrected by Scott.
0 Calm, calm
1 The ship is moving 2,1 2,8
2 The sails are full. stroke 1 - 2 knots 3,8 4,8
3 " 3 - 4 " 5,4 6,4
4 " 5 - 6 " 7,3 8,0
5 The ship carries a close-hauled boom, topsails, topsails and topsails in 1 reef 9,0 10,0
6 11,6 12,0
7 Marseilles in 2 reefs 13,3 14,4
8 Marseilles in 3 reefs 15,8 17,2
9 Reefed topsails and lower sails - 20,0
10 The ship can barely carry the reefed: main topsail foresail - 23,2
11 The ship can carry only storm staysails - 26
12 Hurricane ship can't carry any sails - 32,0

It should be noted that the Beaufort scale was compiled at the beginning of the 19th century, mainly for the then military sailing ships. It is still preserved among sailors out of habit, and they are guided by different signs for different points.

Since weather vanes and anemometers are usually placed higher up, where buildings, trees, etc., do not interfere with the wind, our meteorological observations show a greater wind force than that which we experience in the lowest layer of air. The difference is far from small. For example, in Modena, Italy, observations were made using two anemometers, one of them was placed at a height of 2 meters, and the other 31 meters, above the soil surface; the wind speed was in the ratio 1:1.8, that is, according to the latter, almost twice as much. The difference is even greater if in the lower layer we are protected from the wind by trees, and the anemometer is placed above them. In the dense forest below there is usually almost complete calm, even when the upper branches of the trees are strongly swayed by the wind.

The wind power has big influence for distribution friable solids along the earth's surface. How stronger wind, especially the size of particles that are carried in the air or move along the surface; when the wind weakens, they fall to the ground. The slightest obstacle to the wind, e.g. the fence, and especially trees and bushes, is immediately reflected on loose bodies carried by the wind; they are deposited in front of them, and especially behind them. We can see this every winter in the way the snow is deposited, on the seashores and in sandy deserts, in the deposits of dunes (see this word), and finally, in many dry countries within the continents in the dust that is almost constantly floating in the air and deposited in the form of name loess (see this next). In general, the study of wind in the lowest layer of air, depending on its direction, weather conditions and the action of various obstacles, promises very important results. Ordinary meteorological stations are content with 8 wind points, and when printing monthly and annual averages of their observations, they calculate the number of winds as a percentage. Let us assume that in November the following number of winds was observed, with three observations per day: N6, NE11, E8, SE10, S14, SW20, W11, NW8, C2; the table will contain:

This is called notation on the windward side of the horizon (die Luvseite des Horizontes). Here, therefore, they take 4 predominant directions (these are the first numbers of each column), and after them, with a sign, they put the number of winds or % of the opposite direction; for example, in in this example, for SE they put the number of winds NW, for SW - the number NE, etc. Such tables give a more clear idea of ​​the predominant direction of the winds.

In some places, wind is designated by special names, sometimes indicating their properties. A few examples will suffice; on Ilmen: N- northerner, NE- podseveryak, E- Rough-legged Buzzard, S.W.- shalonik (probably from the Sheloni River), W- wet. On the White Sea, near Arkhangelsk: N- siver, NE- night owl, E- East, S.E.- lunch person, S- summer, or letnik, S.W.- naughty guy, NW- deep-dish, golomennik. In Mezen S.W. called pauzhnik, in Kola - poberezhnik. In the north, some names are taken from Novgorod ancestors, others are of local origin (to the north-west of Arkhangelsk the sea is deeper, hence the name Glubnik). IN Western Siberia W is called the Russian wind, for example, they say in winter: “The Russian wind brought warmth.” In the lower reaches of the Volga, Don and others big rivers V. from the sea, raising the water level, is called moraine, surge, grassroots; V. downstream, driving water: coastal, seasoned, gorich, dry, driven, pasture, riding.

The ancient Greeks called the cold northern Europe boreas, and this name was preserved in a slightly modified form on the shores of the Adriatic Sea and was transferred by Italian and Dalmatian sailors to the eastern shore of the Black Sea; both here and here bora(see Bora) called. cold NE. The ancient Greeks, obviously, did not call every northern wind borean, but only a strong and cold one, since they called the weak northern winds blowing in the summer on the Mediterranean Sea and accompanied by good weather etesia. The same can be seen now in many countries where the winds have names that directly indicate their properties, for example, in the east and southeast of Russia dry wind. Here these winds, very harmful to vegetation due to their high temperature and dryness, usually blow from the SE, in the northern Caucasus - from the E, in the Kyiv province. - with SW, the same is called in Fergana. garmsil(see this word), and in Altai, etc. These winds can be attributed to desert winds, like simoom, khamsin, etc. They are warm and dry because they blow from countries where the temperature is high and the relative humidity is low. The high temperature and dryness are further aggravated by the dust that these winds bring. IN mountainous countries There is another category of warm and dry winds - downward. As the air descends, it compresses and heats up, and its relative humidity decreases. Here, therefore, the air becomes warm and dry as it descends into the valleys. I give the following examples: Mr.

Number. Art. Art. Hour Vladikavkaz Tiflis.
t 1) é/e 2) v 3) t 1) é/e 2)
G.
April 15 7 am 23,4 34 S6 17,2 69
16 " 7 " 11,4 98 NW5
26 " 7 " 23,8 25 SW10 18,6 67
20 November 9 p.m. 20,2 27 S14 6,9 94
21 " 7 am. 19,4 29 S14 4,4 93
" " 1 pm 13,6 62 NE12
22 " 7 am. - 0,2 100 NE7

In Vladikavkaz, north of Caucasus Mountains, on these days it was much warmer and drier than in Tiflis, which not only lies further south, but also more than 200 meters lower, and where, on average, winter is 5°, and spring is 3° warmer than in Vladikavkaz. The unusually high temperature in November was obviously not brought by the south wind, since it was much colder in Tiflis. The same phenomena are observed in the Alps. For example, January 31 and February 1, at 7 a.m. ( average temperature for both days).

1) Air temperature in Celsius. 2) Relative humidity. 3) Wind. The numbers indicate speed in meters per second.

And here, therefore, in the north. The slope of the Alps is much warmer than the southern one. These dry warm winds in the Alps have long been called hairdryer, and the word is now accepted in meteorology to denote the warm and dry wind blowing down a valley from the mountains. Within Russia, such winds are especially noticeable in Kutaisi, where they are called easterly. In general, the climate in this area is humid, there is a lot of rain, and the vegetation is luxurious. But if a strong east wind blows for 2 - 3 days in a row, then the trees lose their leaves. About the different so-called local winds special articles will be placed, as has already been done for one of them - burs. Questions about the cause of winds, their relationship with air pressure and the main areas of winds will be discussed in Art. Air pressure .

Based on the state of the sea, the wind strength can be approximately determined as follows; 1 point - barely noticeable ripples; 2, 3, 4 - small waves; 5 - waves with white tops (wings); 6 - the wind begins to tear off the tops of the waves and spreads them with splashes; 7 - the surface of the waves is covered with continuous ripples and a network of wrinkles; The tops of the waves are almost all broken off. The further action of the wind on the water cannot be subject to any rules, because it depends too much on the nature of the waves, determined by the depth of the sea, the proximity of the shores, the current and many other data. From all that has been said above, it is clear how inaccurate the means are for determining the strength of the wind at sea: the accuracy of the eye and personal experience are only the only means so far. Sailors determine wind pressure mainly by eye, guided, as mentioned above, by the speed of the ship, the sails that can be carried, or the state of the sea, that is, the strength and nature of the waves. They have repeatedly tried to install anemometers on ships, but until recently these tests remained without success. When a ship is moving, anemometers do not show the true speed (and therefore not the true force) of the wind, but the apparent one, that is, the resultant of the true wind speed and the speed of the ship. It is obvious that it is very difficult, if not impossible, to determine the anemometer corrections for all possible speeds of the wind, the ship and for all angles between the course and the wind. Therefore, despite all the perfection of anemometers, they are almost never used at sea.

The article reproduces material from the Great Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron.

Wind, air movement along the earth's surface. Wind direction. gets its name from the side of the horizon from which it blows. For example, northwest V., that is, the one that blows from N.-W.-E. caused by uneven distribution atmospheric pressure. The reason for this is usually the unequal temperature of two adjacent parts of the earth's surface. The air then flows from colder places to warmer places. Wind strength is expressed on the 12-point Beaufort scale (see table on item 125). More precise definitions V. forces are produced with the help anemometer(cm.). Wind speed increases with height. For central regions USSR, the strength of the storm is greatest in the afternoon hours, and in the evening the storm subsides. In coastal areas there are constant onshore winds, or breezes (see). The same periodic but annual winds are monsoons(see), blowing from the ocean to the mainland in summer, and back in winter. The following monsoons are known: South Asian, East Asian, North Australian and others. Winds blowing towards the equator are called trade winds(cm.). Due to the rotation of the earth around its axis, the trade winds deviate to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere. Therefore, the direction of the northern trade wind changes to the northeast, and the southern trade wind changes to the southeast direction.

Wind speed
in m/sec
Points
Beaufort
The name of the wind and its action
0 0 Calm. Smoke rises vertically. The leaves of the trees are motionless.
1,7 1 Quiet wind. Feels on the face or hand
3,1 2 Light breeze. The leaves are shaking.
4,8 3 Light wind.
6,8 4 Moderate wind. Tree branches sway.
8,8 5 Fresh breeze. Sets the branches in motion
10,7 6 Strong wind.
12,9 7 Strong wind. Shakes large branches and thin trunks.
15,4 8 Very strong wind.
18,0 9 Storm. Bends trees to the ground, breaks branches and thin trunks.
20-25 10 Heavy storm. Destructive actions.
25-30 11 Fierce Storm
over 30 12 Hurricane

The wind also takes on everything higher value as a source of energy. In this sense, it is called “blue coal” (see. .

see also

Links

Quote error for existing tag no matching tag found

Wind direction and speed are one of the best indicators of weather changes. There are 16 wind directions (points of reference), designated by the cardinal points. The names of these sixteen points, or directions from which the wind blows, are given in the following table:

Designation Full name of the wind
international Russian international Russian
N WITH North

Northern

NNE NNE Nord-north-east North-northeast
NE NE Nord-Ost Northeastern
ENE ENE East-nord-east East-northeast
E IN Ost Oriental
ESE ESE East-south-east East-southeast
S.E. SE South East Southeastern
SSE SSE South-south-east South-southeast
S YU South Southern
SSW SSW South-south-west South-southwest
S.W. SW Southwest Southwestern
WSW WSW West-southwest West-southwest
W Z West West
W.N.W. WNW West-north-west West-northwest
NW NW North West Northwestern
NNW CVD North-north-west North-northwest

The wind is named after the part of the horizon from which it blows. Sailors say that the wind "blows into the compass." This expression will make it easier to remember the table above.

In addition to these names, there are also local ones. For example, on the coast White Sea and in the Murmansk region local fishermen call northeast wind“night owl”, southern - “summer”, south-east - “dinner”, south-west - “shelovnik”, north-west - “coastal”. There are also names for the winds on the Black, Caspian and Volga seas. Great importance To determine the weather there are local winds that need to be known and taken into account.

To determine the direction of the wind, you need to wet your index finger and raise it vertically upward. On the side facing the wind you will feel cold.

The direction of the wind can also be determined by the pennant, smoke and compass. Standing facing the wind and holding a compass in front of you, the zero division of which is brought under the northern end of the arrow, place a match or a thin straight stick on its center, pointing it in the direction in which the observer is facing, that is, towards the wind.

Pressing a match or stick in this position to the glass of the compass, you need to see which division of the scale it falls above. This will be the part of the horizon from which the wind blows.

The direction of the wind is indicated by the landing of birds. They always land against the wind.

Wind speed is measured by the distance (in meters or kilometers) over which a mass of air moves in 1 second. (hours), as well as in points according to the twelve-point Beaufort system. The wind speed is constantly changing, and therefore its average value over 10 minutes is often taken into account. Wind speed is determined by special instruments, but it can be determined quite accurately by eye using the table below.

Determination of wind speed (according to K.V. Pokrovsky):

Wind power
(in Beaufort points)

Titles
winds
different strengths
Signs to evaluate Speed
wind
(in m/sec.)
Speed
wind
(in km/hour)
0 calm The leaves on the trees do not waver, the smoke from the chimneys rises vertically, the fire from the match does not deviate 0 0
1 quiet The smoke is slightly deflected, but the wind is not felt by the face 1 3,6
2 easy You can feel the wind on your face, the leaves on the trees are swaying 2 - 3 5 - 12
3 weak The wind shakes small branches and sways the flag 4 - 5 13 - 19
4 moderate The branches are swaying average size, dust rises 6 - 8 20 - 30
5 fresh Thin tree trunks and thick branches sway, creating ripples in the water 9 - 10 31 - 37
6 strong Thick tree trunks sway 11 - 13 38 - 48
7 strong Swinging big trees, it's hard to go against the wind 14 - 17 49 - 63
8 very strong The wind breaks thick trunks 18 - 20 64 - 73
9 storm The wind demolishes light buildings and knocks down fences 21 - 26 74 - 94
10 heavy storm Trees are uprooted and more durable structures are demolished 27 - 31 95 - 112
11 severe storm The wind causes great destruction, knocking down telegraph poles, carriages, etc. 32 - 36 115 - 130
12 Hurricane Hurricane destroys houses, overturns stone walls More than 36 More than 120

The strength of the sea (lake) waves is determined according to the following table (according to A.G. Komovsky):

Points Signs
0 Completely smooth surface
1 Ripple appears without leaving traces of foam
2 Large ripples. Short waves are formed. the ridges of which begin to break. The foam left behind is clear.
3 The waves are getting longer. White foam (whitecaps) appears on the surface of the sea. The waves produce a sort of rustling sound.
4 The waves lengthen noticeably. The crests of the waves break with noise. Numerous lambs appear.
5 The formation of water mountains begins. The surface of the sea is completely covered with whitecaps.
6 A swell appears. The sound of breaking ridges can be heard at some distance. Streaks of foam appear in the direction of the wind.
7 The height and wavelength increase noticeably. The breaking of the ridges resembles rolling thunder. White foam forms dense stripes in the direction of the wind.
8 The waves form high mountains with long and violently overturning crests. The ridges roll with roars and jolts. The sea becomes completely white.
9 The mountains of waves become so high that visible ships are completely lost from sight for some time. The rolling ridges produce a deafening noise. The wind begins to tear off the crests of the waves, and water appears in the air

Eastern wind

East wind (Heb. khadim), dry, burning and sharp wind (Job 27:21; 38:24; Isa 27:8) , which blows from sandy deserts Arabia (Hos 13:15; Job 1:19; Jer 4:11; 13:24) . In Palestine, the weather, determined by V.V., is, as a rule, from April to mid-June and from mid-September to October. V.V. always lasts several days, spring vegetation dries out during this time (Eze 17:10; 19:12; Jonah 4:8; Ps 103:15,16; cf. Is 40:7,8) . If V.V. starts to blow in early spring, he can inflict means. crop damage (see Gen 41:6). In Egypt, this wind often brought clouds of locusts (Exodus 10:13). Under the "south wind" (Greek notos) in Luke 12:55 also refers to the hot, dry wind of the deserts.


Brockhaus Biblical Encyclopedia. F. Rinecker, G. Mayer. 1994 .

See what “East wind” is in other dictionaries:

    East wind lethal for aviation... Encyclopedia of technology

    - (Ex.15:10). In Palestine, as a coastal land, surrounded on one side by the sea, and on the other high mountains, at all times the Israelites distinguished four main winds: a) h. and Yu. z.; b) Yu. and Yu. c., c) eastern, d) s. or with. h. wind. Eastern... Bible. Dilapidated and New Testaments. Synodal translation. Biblical encyclopedia arch. Nikifor.

    This term has other meanings, see Wind (meanings). A windsock is the simplest device for determining wind speed and direction, used at airfields ... Wikipedia

    Adj., used. often 1. You call territories, localities, settlements etc., located in the east of the country, continent, region, etc. Prague is one of the most beautiful cities of Eastern Europe. | IN eastern regions countries… … Dictionary Dmitrieva

    wind- aromatic (Fofanov); weak-willed (Gippius); bottomless (Balmont); serene (Balmont); restless (Gilyarovsky, Surikov); indifferent (Sologub); homeless (Bashkin); fragrant (Maikov); violent (Gilyarovsky, Balmont, Bunin, Belousov, ... ... Dictionary of epithets

    WIND, wind husband. movement, current, flow, current, air flow. According to its strength, the wind can be: hurricane, caucasus. bora: storm, tempest (usually thunderstorm and rain are combined with a storm), severe, strong, wind: medium, weak, quiet wind or breeze, breeze, ... ... Dahl's Explanatory Dictionary

    Wind and Sparks is a series of science fiction novels written by Russian writer Alexei Pekhov. Two books in the series: Wind Seekers and Wormwood Wind received the Silver Caduceus award at the Star Bridge international festival. Contents 1 Books ... Wikipedia

    Oriental- Relating to, located or coming from the east, for example, the wind blowing from that direction... Dictionary of Geography

    Direction B is designated by the country of the world from which it blows, and the letters of the Latin alphabet are used for abbreviation: N stands for north, E for east, S for south, W for west, C for calm. There are usually 8 directions, or points of reference, namely, to... ... encyclopedic Dictionary F. Brockhaus and I.A. Ephron

    Wind- movement of air flow to the horizon. direction relative to the earth's surface. It is characterized by speed, usually expressed in m/sec or points on the Beaufort scale (0 12) and direction along 16 points of the horizon. An extensive naming system... ... Russian humanitarian encyclopedic dictionary

Books

  • East Wind, Abdullaev Ch.. Traitors are not forgiven. This is the motto of the secret organization "Shield and Sword", consisting of senior officers of the Russian special services. Former FSB Colonel Timur Karaev receives the task of eliminating...

Here you can find information on how to correctly determine the direction of the wind. After all, there are two possible definitions of direction, but we will mainly discuss the most common of them.

I have heard people call the north wind south and vice versa only because they did not know the rule for forming the names of winds. The wind gets its name from the direction from which it blows, and not from the direction in which it blows.

What is wind direction?

Wind direction is one of the indicators of movement atmospheric air. Meteorological wind direction indicates the azimuth of the point from which the wind is blowing; whereas the aeronautical wind direction is where the wind is blowing: thus the values ​​differ by 180°.

How to determine the direction of the wind?

The wind always blows from the area high pressure to the low area. A variety of instruments, such as windsocks and weather vanes, are used to measure wind direction. Both of these instruments work by moving with the slightest breath of wind. In the same way, a weather vane shows the prevailing direction of the wind - its tail part is directed in the direction in which the wind is blowing. You can also determine the direction of the wind with a finger moistened with saliva - the blowing wind will cause a feeling of chill on the side from which the air is moving.

Is the direction of the wind where the wind is coming from or where it is blowing?

Wind, as a movement, is characterized by very specific parameters: direction, strength and speed.

  • Wind direction, meaning which way the wind blows, is called aeronautical direction. This is a logical, but not the only measurement of wind direction.
  • Meteorological wind direction shows which way the wind is blowing.

Meteorological and aeronautical wind directions differ from each other exactly the opposite. One can only imagine the consequences of confusion between them! We are interested in the second point - meteorological wind direction.

There are four main directions winds:

  1. South wind - blows from south to north;
  2. North wind - blows from north to south;
  3. West wind - blows from west to east;
  4. East wind - blows from east to west.

Also distinguished intermediate directions, for example North-West wind or South-West wind.

You can also remember one maritime mnemonic rule.

One aspect of the weather that affects life in Mauritius on a daily basis, and in particular the lives of kiters and windsurfers, is the wind. Complete calm in Mauritius is a rather rare phenomenon; the air here is mainly in motion, thanks to the southeast trade wind, in the zone of which the island is located. It's a global wind that blows everywhere Indian Ocean from southern latitudes to the equator. This wind carries heat and humidity over considerable distances, which plays a very important role in shaping the weather throughout the region.

Let's determine the main causes of wind and its components. Wind is the horizontal movement of air relative to the earth's surface, which arises due to the uneven distribution of atmospheric pressure. Uneven distribution appears due to differences in temperatures in neighboring areas or upward air circulation in individual areas. In any case, the cause of the wind is uneven heating of the surface by the sun, which leads to differences in temperatures, circulation, and pressure differences.

Wind strength is measured in knots, kilometers per hour and meters per second. One knot is a speed equal to 1 nautical mile per hour or 1.852 km/h. A 1 m/s = 3.6 km/h. Wind is named by the direction from which it blows. For example, the north wind blows from the north, the southeast wind from the southeast, etc. At the same time, the direction of the current in the ocean is determined by where it is directed. Therefore, the east wind and the east current, for example, are directed towards each other. To accurately indicate the direction of the wind, sailors use a rose of rumbas - a circle divided into 32 parts (rumba), where each of the rumbas has its own name. In meteorology, a degree system is most often used, in which the north wind is 360° (or 0°), the east is 90°, the south is 180°, the west is 270°, and the southwest, for example, is 225°.

Another factor we must consider to understand global atmospheric processes is the Coriolis effect. The result of this effect is that all objects moving in the northern hemisphere tend to turn to the right, and all moving objects in the southern hemisphere tend to turn left. The Coriolis effect is most pronounced at the poles and disappears at the equator. The Coriolis effect is caused by the rotation of the Earth under moving objects. This is not some real force, it is the movement of the Earth, interacting with the forces of gravity, that creates the illusion of right rotation for all freely moving bodies. Air currents and the ocean experience this effect on a large scale. The main conclusion from this is that the Coriolis effect causes winds to turn to the right in the northern hemisphere and to the left in the southern hemisphere.

Mauritius is located in Southern Hemisphere, in the zone of action, as mentioned above, of the southeast trade wind. This wind is blowing all year round and wears global character due to action sun rays in the equatorial strip and the daily rotation of the Earth according to the Coriolis effect. The image, taken from the description of the term "" in the Wikipedia article, clearly demonstrates the global pattern of air circulation on our planet. And the superimposed image of Mauritius, located in the Indian Ocean approximately at the 20th parallel south of the equator, explains why the prevailing wind on the island is the southeast.

Periodically, cyclones and anticyclones form in the Indian Ocean, which, when approaching Mauritius, can change the standard direction of the southeast wind. The influence of cyclones and anticyclones on wind in the Mauritius region can be viewed in the Earth model, which is updated in real time. Fortunately, this impact is short-term and makes only small changes to the wind statistics in Mauritius.

Based on daily weather observations between 2009 and 2014, wind statistics were collected at the Mauritius Airport weather station, which are fully consistent with theory and demonstrate the predominance of southeast winds on the island.

Now, having an idea of ​​the basic driving forces in the atmosphere in on a global scale, let's talk about local features, since ultimately the weather is influenced by a complete combination of physical processes. For example, sailors have long noticed that the wind blowing along the coast always intensifies in the coastal zone. The onshore effect of increased wind will be especially pronounced where the wind flows adjacent to the shore. mountain ranges or plateau. Due to the flow of air around an obstacle, its streamlines come closer together, which leads to increased wind off the capes, peninsulas and weakening wind in bays and bays.

It must be remembered that earth's surface has a significant impact on air flows near it. AND the main idea, extracted from the above is that in places where the direction of the wind is tangent to the tip of the peninsula or cape, the wind will be strongest.

Indeed, many riders, riding 7-9m kites on a sunny day with a south-east wind, noticed that if you get into the car and drive just a few kilometers to the small fishing village of Le Morne, which is located in the bay, then there is almost no wind there No. On such days the wind blows on the cape and in the lagoon, as a rule, twice as strong as predicted.

Similarly, with an easterly wind at the very tip of the spit, for example, the kite blows at 9m, while on the beach 100 meters downwind there is absolute calm, and a couple of kilometers upwind the wind blows noticeably weaker. Another influence of the cape on the increase in wind is felt when you move away from the coast further into the open ocean, for example, 2 kilometers from the cape. The further from the coast, the weaker the wind, and this is especially felt when you make very long tacks to cut out, and at some point in the ocean you suddenly realize that there is no wind at all.

Southeast trade wind near Le Morne Brabant mountain in Mauritius
✓ — cape and lagoon, the wind is increasing ✕ — the St. Regis hotel and the fishing village of Le Morne, the wind is weakening

Therefore, when monitoring, the rider's strength is not as important as his direction. Based on the direction of the wind, you can determine the spot where the wind will blow stronger and more evenly than in other places. And the strongest blow will be where the air flow flows around the capes and the wind blows tangentially to the shore. If you look at the map with the six best, in our opinion, kite spots in Mauritius, then depending on the wind direction, you can accurately determine the spot where the wind will blow stronger and more evenly than in other places.

Map with the six best spots in Mauritius(to display other spots and attractions of Mauritius, click ✓)

For your convenience, we have compiled a table below in which the wind is divided into 32 directions between 6 spots, where, taking into account the local characteristics of the island, the wind will be the strongest and most even, since it comes from open ocean on a tangent. Please note that from the nearest to the farthest spot it takes a maximum of one and a half hours by car.

  • Wind symbol Name of the wind Description of the wind Wind angle
    SEtE south-east-shade-east southeast-shadow-east 123.75°
    S.E. south-east southeast 135.00°
    SETS south-east-shadow-south southeast-shadow-south 146.25°
    SSE south-south-east south-southeast 157.50°
    StE south-shadow-east south-shadow-east 168.75°
    S south south 180.00°
    StW south-shadow-west south-shadow-west 191.25°
    SSW south-south-west south-southwest 202.50°
    SWtS south-west-shadow-south southwest-shadow-south 213.75°
    S.W. southwest southwest 225.00°
    SWtW southwest shadowwest southwest-shadow-west 236.25°
    WSW West-South-West west-southwest 247.50°
    WTS West-Shadow-South west-shadow-south 258.75°
    W West west 270.00°
    WtN West-Shadow-North west-shadow-north 281.25°
    W.N.W. west-north-west west-northwest 292.50°

It is necessary to say something about the thermal component of the wind. When the ground on an island heats up during the day, it forms local system low blood pressure, which strengthens the main wind. So in Le Morne you can often observe that the wind begins to blow, usually at 10 am, when the sun is already shining in full force, heating the Lemorne Brabant mountain. Hot air rises above the hot mountain, and air from the ocean rushes in its place, thus increasing the wind. Peak wind strength occurs at 13-14 hours of the day, and closer to sunset at 17-18 hours the wind weakens. And what’s remarkable is that the weakening of the wind is very clearly visible. So, for example, when you ride on Van Aye in the afternoon, the sun is low cloudy weather, the southeast wind never turns off unexpectedly. It always happens gradually, and you feel that when the kite starts to lack a little power and the sun is setting, it’s time to return to shore. At the same time, you can be sure that after the first signals about the weakening of the wind, you always have half an hour left, during which you can easily make it back to the shore.

On the contrary, cloudy weather can confuse all the cards. Due to the fact that there is no intense heating of the land, the wind may not become stronger, or even not turn on at all. Therefore, always consider cloud cover when viewing. If the forecast is windy, but the day promises to be cloudy or, especially, rainy, then be prepared to engage in some other types of water activities, for example, or, since the wind on such days in Mauritius, as a rule, is not blowing

When determining a spot for kite riding or windsurfing in Mauritius, it is necessary to take into account not only the strength of the forecast wind, but also its direction, since local features Islands in the form of its relief, along with the presence of clouds, can make significant adjustments to the true wind.

There is no smoother and denser wind in the world than the southeast trade wind, for the first time since its inception far in the ocean it comes into tangential contact with land on the Southwestern Cape Le Morne, due to which it receives an increase in flow in this very place. The eastern wind, and especially the wind turning to the northeast, in Le Morne will be too gusty and unstable, while in Belle Omb or Riambel, where it touches tangentially, it will be windier, and, more importantly, much smoother.



What else to read