wind

air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure

"trees bent under the fierce winds"

"when there is no wind, row"

"the radioactivity was being swept upwards by the air current and out into the atmosphere" a tendency or force that influences events

"the winds of change" breath

"the collision knocked the wind out of him" empty rhetoric or insincere or exaggerated talk

"that's a lot of wind"

"don't give me any of that jazz" an indication of potential opportunity

"he got a tip on the stock market"

"a good lead for a job" a musical instrument in which the sound is produced by an enclosed column of air that is moved by the breath a reflex that expels intestinal gas through the anus the act of winding or twisting

"he put the key in the old clock and gave it a good wind" to move or cause to move in a sinuous, spiral, or circular course

"the river winds through the hills"

"the path meanders through the vineyards"

"sometimes, the gout wanders through the entire body" extend in curves and turns

"The road winds around the lake"

"the path twisted through the forest" arrange or or coil around

"roll your hair around your finger"

"Twine the thread around the spool"

"She wrapped her arms around the child" catch the scent of

get wind of

"The dog nosed out the drugs" coil the spring of (some mechanical device) by turning a stem

"wind your watch" form into a wreath raise or haul up with or as if with mechanical help

"hoist the bicycle onto the roof of the car"

For the WIND spacecraft, see WIND.''For the WIND Radio, see WIND-AM.''For the 1928 in film1928 film, see The Wind.''For the J-Pop vocal group, see w-inds..''For Glasgow University Student TV, see !Glasgow_University_Student_Tel evision.''Wind is the quasi-horizontal movement of air (as opposed to an air current (fluid)current) caused by uneven heating of the Earth's surface. It occurs at all scales, from local breezes generated by heating of land surfaces and lasting tens of minutes to global winds resulting from solar heating of the Earth. The two major influences on the atmospheric circulation are the differential heating between the equator and the poles, and the rotation of the planet (Coriolis effect).Given a difference in barometerbarometric pressure between two air masses, a wind will arise between the two which tends to flow from the area of high pressure areahigh pressure to the area of low pressure arealow pressure until the two air masses are at the same pressure, although these flows will be modified by the Coriolis effect in the extratropics.Winds can be classified either by their scale, the kinds of forces which cause them (according to the atmospheric equations of motion), or the geographic regions in which they exist. There are global winds, such as the wind belts which exist between the atmospheric circulation cells. There are upper-level winds, such as the jet streams. There are synoptic-scale winds that result from pressure differences in surface air masses in the middle latitudes, and there are winds that come about as a consequence of geographygeographic features such as the sea breeze. Scale (spatial)Mesoscale winds are those which act on a local scale, such as gust fronts. At the smallest scale are the winds which blow on a scale of only tens to hundreds of metres and are essentially unpredictable, such as dust devils and microbursts.Winds can also shape landforms, via a variety of eolian processes.

Winds by spatial scale -

Prevailing winds — the general circulation of the atmosphere - Prevailing winds are winds which come about as a consequence of atmospheric circulationglobal circulation patterns. These include the Trade windTrade Winds, the Westerlies, the Polar Easterlies, and the jet streams.Because of differential heating and the fact that warm air rises and cool air falls, there arise circulations that (on a non-rotating planet) would lead to an equator-to-pole flow in the upper atmosphere and a pole-to-equator flow at lower levels. Because of the Earth's rotation, this simple situation is vastly modified in the real atmosphere. In almost all circumstances the horizontal component of the wind is much larger than the vertical — the exception being violent convection.The ''Trade Winds'' are the most familiar consistent and reliable winds on the planet, exceeded in constancy only by the katabatic winds of the major ice sheets of Antarctica and Greenland. It was these winds that early mariners relied upon to propel their ships from Europe to North and South America. Their name derives from the Old English 'trade', meaning "path" or "track", and thus the phrase "the wind blows trade", that is to say, on track.The Trades form under the Hadley cellHadley circulation cell, and are part of the return flow for this cell. The Hadley carries air aloft at the equator and transports it poleward north and south. At about 30°N/S latitude, the air cools and descends. It then begins its journey back to the equator, but with a noticeably westward shift as a result of the action of the Coriolis force. Along the east coast of North America, friction twists the flow of the Trades even further clockwise. The result is that the Trades feed into the Westerlies, and thus provide a continuous zone of wind for ships travelling between Europe and the Americas.The ''Westerlies'', which can be found at the mid-latitudes beneath the atmospheric circulationFerrel circulation cell, likewise arise from the tendency of winds to move in a curved path on a rotating planet. Together with the airflow in the Ferrel cell, poleward at ground level and tending to equatorward aloft (though not clearly defined, particularly in the winter), this predisposes the formation of eddy currents which maintain a more-or-less continuous flow of westerly air. The upper-level polar jet stream assists by providing a path of least resistance under which low pressure areas may travel. The ''Polar Easterlies'' result from the outflow of the Polar high, a permanent body of descending cold air which makes up the poleward end of the atmospheric circulationPolar circulation cell. These winds, though persistent, are not deep. However, they are cool and strong, and can combine with warm, moist Gulf Stream air transported northward by weather systems to produce violent thunderstorms and tornadoes as far as 60°N on the North American continent. Records of tornadoes in northerly latitudes are spotty and incomplete because of the vast amount of uninhabited terrain and lack of monitoring, and it is certain that tornadoes have gone unseen and unreported. The deadly Edmonton tornado of 1987, which ranked as an F4 on the Fujita scale and killed 27 people, is evidence that powerful tornadoes can occur north of the 50th parallel. The ''jet streams'' are rapidly moving upper-level currents. Travelling generally eastward in the tropopause, the polar jets reside at the juncture of the Ferrel cell and the Polar cell and mark the location of the polar cold front. During winter, a second jet stream forms at about the 30th parallel, at the interface of the Hadley and Ferrel cells, as a result of the contrast in temperature between tropical air and continental polar air. The jet streams are not continuous, and fade in and out along their paths as they speed up and slow down. Though they move generally eastward, they may range significantly north and south. The polar jet stream also marks the presence of Rossby waves, long-scale (4000 - 6000 km in wavelength) harmonic waves which perpetuate around the globe.

Seasonal winds - Seasonal winds are winds that only exist during specific seasons, such as the IndiaIndian monsoon.

Synoptic winds - Synoptic winds are winds associated with large-scale events such as warm and cold Weather frontfronts, and are part of what makes up everyday weather. These include the geostrophic wind, the gradient wind, and the cyclostrophic wind. As a result of the Coriolis force, winds in the northern hemisphere always flow clockwise around a high pressure area and counterclockwise around a low pressure area (the reverse occurs in the southern hemisphere). At the same time, winds always flow from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure. These two forces are opposite but not equal, and the path that results when the two forces cancel each other runs parallel to the isobars. Wind following this path is known as geostrophic wind. Winds are said to be truly geostrophic only when other forces (e.g. friction) acting on the air are negligible, a situation which is often a good approximation to the large-scale flow away from the tropics.In certain circumstances, the Coriolis force acting on moving air may be almost or entirely overwhelmed by the centripetal force. Such a wind is said to be cyclostrophic, and is characterized by rapid rotation over a relatively small area. Hurricanes, tornadoes, and typhoons are examples of this type of wind.

Mesoscale winds - Synoptic winds occupy the lower boundary of what is considered to be "forecastable" wind. Winds at the next lowest level of magnitude typically arise and fade over time periods too short and over geographic regions too narrow to predict with any long-range accuracy. These mesoscale winds include such phenomena as the cold outflow from thunderstorms. This wind frequently advances ahead of more intense thunderstorms and may be sufficiently energetic to generate local weather of its own. Many of the "special" winds, addressed in the last section of this article, are mesoscale winds.

Microscale winds - Microscale winds take place over very short durations of time - seconds to minutes - and spatially over only tens to hundreds of metres. The turbulence following the passage of an active front is composed of microscale winds, and it is microscale wind which produces convective events such as dust devils. Though small in scope, microscale winds can play a major role in human affairs. It was the crash of a fully loaded Lockheed L-1011 at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport in the summer of 1985, and the subsequent loss of 133 lives, that introduced the term "microburst" to many people, and that was a factor in the installation of doppler radar in airports and weather installations worldwide.

Winds by effect - In classical terminology, ''Aeolian winds'', or winds producing ''Aeolian action'', are winds which produce geologic changes. Modern tornadoes and hurricanes might at times be considered to produce such changes.Largescale erosion, dune formation, and other geologic and topographic effects influenced by wind are still referred to as aeolian activity.

Local winds that are tied to specific temperature distributions - Some local winds blow only under certain circumstances, i.e. they require a certain temperature distribution.''Differential heating'' is the motive force behind land breezes and sea breezes (or, in the case of larger lakes, lake breezes), also known as on- or off-shore winds. Land is a rapid absorber/radiator of heat, whereas water absorbs heat more slowly but also releases it over a greater period of time. The result is that, in locations where sea and land meet, heat absorbed over the day will be radiated more quickly by the land at night, cooling the air. Over the sea, heat is still being released into the air at night, which rises. This convective motion draws the cool land air in to replace the rising air, resulting in a land breeze in the late night and early morning. During the day, the roles are reversed. Warm air over the land rises, pulling cool air in from the sea to replace it, giving a sea breeze during the afternoon and evening.Mountain breezes and valley breezes are due to a combination of differential heating and geometry. When the sun rises, it is the tops of the mountain peaks which receive first light, and as the day progresses, the mountain slopes take on a greater heat load than the valleys. This results in a temperature inequity between the two, and as warm air rises off the slopes, cool air moves up out of the valleys to replace it. This upslope wind is called a ''valley breeze''. The opposite effect takes place in the afternoon, as the valley radiates heat. The peaks, long since cooled, transport air into the valley in a process that is partly gravitational and partly convective and is called a ''mountain breeze''.Mountain breezes are one example of what is known more generally as a katabatic wind. These are winds driven by cold air flowing down a slope, and occur on the largest scale in Greenland and Antarctica. Most often, this term refers to winds which form when air which has cooled over a high, cold plateau is set in motion and descends under the influence of gravity. Winds of this type are common in regions of Mongolia and in glaciated locations. Because ''katabatic'' refers specifically to the vertical motion of the wind, this group also includes winds which form on the lee side of mountains, and heat as a consequence of compression. Such winds may undergo a temperature increase of 20 °C (36 °F) or more, and many of the world's "named" winds (see list below) belong to this group. Among the most well-known of these winds are the chinook of Western Canada and the American Northwest, the Swiss föhn windföhn, California's infamous Santa Ana wind, and the French mistral.The opposite of a katabatic wind is an anabatic wind, or an upward-moving wind. The above-described ''valley breeze'' is an anabatic wind.A widely-used term, though one not formally recognised by meteorologists, is ''orographic wind''. This refers to air which undergoes orographic lifting. Most often, this is in the context of winds such as the chinook or the föhn, which undergo lifting by mountain ranges before descending and warming on the lee side.

Winds that are defined by an equilibrium of physical forces - These winds are used in the decomposition and analysis of wind profiles. They are useful for simplifying the atmospheric equations of motion and for making qualitative arguments about the horizontal and vertical distribution of winds. Examples are:

geostrophic wind (wind that is a result of the balance between Coriolis force and pressure gradient force; flows parallel to isobars and approximates the flow above the atmospheric boundary layer in the midlatitudes if frictional effects are low)

thermal wind (not actually a wind but a wind ''difference'' between two levels; only exists in an atmosphere with horizontal temperature gradients, i.e. baroclinicity)

ageostropic wind (difference between actual and geostrophic wind; the wind component which is responsible for air "filling up" cyclones over time)

gradient wind (like geostrophic wind but also including centrifugal force)

Names for specific winds in certain regions -

Classical Greek and Roman wind names - In ancient Greek mythology, the four winds were personified as gods. The Greeks also observed the seasonal change of the winds, as evidenced by the Tower of the Winds in Athens.Roman writers later gave them Latin names. Note that the "north wind", for example, is the wind that blows ''from'' the north, not towards it.Greek&l t;tr>&l t;tr>& lt;tr>west-south-west? !wind

north? !wind	''Bor eas''	''Aq uilo''
south? !wind	''Not us!Notos''	'' Auster''
east? !wind	''Eur us!Euros''	'' Eurus''
west? !wind	''Zep hyrus!Zephyros''
north -west? !wind	''Ski ron''? or !''Skeiron''	north-eas t? !wind	''Kai kias''	''C aecius''
south-east ? !wind	''Eur usEuros'' or !''Apeliotus''	''Volturnus''? or !''Vulturnus''
south -west? !wind	''Lip s''? or !''Livos''	''Africus''? or ''Afer !ventus''
north-nort h-west? !wind		''Thrascius''& lt;/td>
	''Libs''

Modern wind names - Many local wind systems have their own names. For example:

''Alizé'' (northeasterly across central Africa and the Caribbean)

''Alizé Maritime'' (a wet, fresh northerly wind across west central Africa)

''Bora'' (northeasterly from eastern Europe to Italy)

''Chinook'' (warm dry westerly off the Rocky Mountains)

''Etesian'' (Greek name) or ''Meltemi'' (Turkish name) (northerly across Greece and Turkey)

''Föhn'' (warm dry southerly off the northern side of the Alps)

''Gregale'' (northeasterly from Greece)

''Harmattan'' (dry northerly wind across central Africa)

''Halny'' (in northern Carpathians)

''Khamsin'' (southeasterly from north Africa to the eastern Mediterranean)

''Levanter'' (easterly through Strait of Gibraltar)

''Libeccio'' (southwesterly towards Italy)

''Marin (wind)Marin'' (south-easterly from Mediterranean to France)

''Mistral'' (cold northerly from central France and the Alps to Mediterranean)

''Nor'easter'' (eastern United States)

''Santa Ana winds'' (southern California)

''Sirocco'' (southerly from north Africa to southern Europe)

''Tramontane'' (northeasterly from the Alps to the Mediterranean)

''Vendavel'' (westerly through Strait of Gibraltar)

''Zonda wind'' (on the eastern slope of the Andes in Argentina)

Meteorological instruments to measure wind speed and/or direction -

Anemometer (measures wind speed, either directly, e.g. with rotating cups, or indirectly, e.g. via pressure differences or the propagation speed of ultrasound signals)

Rawinsonde (GPS-based wind measurement is performed by the probe)

Weather balloon (passive measurement, balloon position is tracked from the ground visually or via radar; wind profile is computed from drift rate and the theoretical speed of ascent)

Weather vane (used to indicate wind direction)

Windsock (primarily used to indicate wind direction, may also be used to estimate wind speed by its angle)

See also -

Beaufort scale

Climatology

Meteorology

Wind power

External links -

animalu.com - Dancing with the Devils - A short movie showing dust devils in action on a dry lakebed

winddata.com - Database of Wind Characteristics - Wind data for wind (turbine) design and wind resource assessment and siting

ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu - Meteorology Guides: Forces and Winds - Instructional module from the University of Illinois

ggweather.com - Names of Winds - A list from Golden Gate Weather Services

windatlas.dk - Wind Atlases of the World - Lists of wind atlases and wind surveys from all over the world

lpi.usra.edu - The Winds of Mars: Aeolian Activity and Landforms - Paper with slides that illustrate the wind activity on the planet Mars (planet)!MarsCategory:AtmosphereCategor y:MeteorologyCategory:WeatherC ategory:Windsca:Ventcs:Vítrda :Vindde:Windet:Tuulel:Άνεμ οςes:Vientoeo:Ventofr:Ventit :Ventohe:רוחhu:Szélnl:Wind ja:風no:Vindnn:Vindpl:Wiatrpt :Ventoru:Ветерfi:Tuulisv: Vindtr:Rüzgarwa:Vintzh:風

The Energy Depot
The Energy Depot is founded on the philosophy that renewable energy should be easy and available to everyone. Our product line comprises a wide range of complete solutions for any residential or commercial energy need. We firmly believe that our customers should not need an engineering degree just to keep their lights on. Each of our models is available as a fully installed, turn-key solution. With the Energy Depot you get more than just a bucket of parts, you get a proven solution.
http://www.energydepot.ca/

Saving energy.
Energy4you.net looks at ways to save energy. Also take a look at renewable energy souces, like solar, and wind.
http://www.energy4you.net/

3DWindSpinners.com: Beautify Your Home with These Incredible Wind Spinners and Ornaments
These beautiful Wind Spinners can be placed inside or outside of your home and are sure to add to its beauty with a 3D effect that will catch everyone's eye.
http://www.3dwindspinners.com

I Fiati di Parma
The website of the italian wind chamber orchestra I Fiati di Parma (Parma Winds)
http://www.fiatidiparma.com/

US ENERGY & LIGHTING
RENEWABLE ENERGY & ENERGY EFFECTIVE USAGE FOR LIGHTING
http://www.us-enerji.com/

AZHAR ARCHITECTURE
Azhar Architecture is a multidisciplinary architecture and design consultancy. We create and provide integrated architecture and engineering solutions for the built environment, which are, bespoke, intelligent and creative, to create a sustainable and beautiful future. We provide a holistic design team approach including the following services: • Architecture • Urban Design & Masterplanning • Infrastructure and Transportation Expertise • Sustainable Design
http://www.azhararchitecture.com

Effects for Film and TV
Effects for Film and TV
http://www.film-effects.com/

Atlantis Power LLC
A global deep offshore wind energy company based in Delware US with operations in US, Europe and manufacturing facilities in China
http://www.atlantispower.com/

www.extremehotels.com
Welcome to Extreme Hotels — the world’s premiere kiteboarding,surfing, wakeboarding and skateboarding experience in Cabarete, Dominican Republic. The boutique hotel caters to today’s modern boarder with only 18 rooms directly on Kite Beach. Surf. Kite, Wake, Skate all day in front of the hotel, surf the internet with our free wireless internet throughout the hotel…from the road to the beach. Then get a drink from at the beach bar, and dont forget Happy Hour…4:20 until close every day. Come see why eXtreme is Cabarete’s hottest hotel!
http://www.extremehotels.com/

Sand Point Model Sailing Club
This is web site of SPMSC a member of American Model Yachting Association in Titusville, FL We sail Soling 1 Meter RC Sail Boats at Sand Point Pond and at The Great Outdoors Resort in Titusville FL.
http://www.modelsailing.org/

X-treamTeam
All about Windsurfing with reports and pics
http://www.x-tream-team.de/

Danish Wind Controller A/S
DWC was founded in 1996, DWC manufactures anemometers and wind vans the size, simplicity and rugged construction provide a quality instrument at a modest price. The instruments are designed for continuous long-term operation in the most extreme weather conditions. Besides manufacturer, DWC is a leader in the design and integration of meteorological systems. Using the best possible combination of sensors and data acquisition technologies, DWC can customize and fit any combination of meteorological sensors and data acquisition technologies to customer applications.
http://www.dwc-el.dk/

Moorsyde Action Group
Community response group opposing a large wind power station on agricultural land near Berwick-upon-Tweed, North Northumberland, UK.
http://moorsydeactiongroup.org.uk/

Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC)
GWEC is the voice of the global wind energy industry. It brings together the major national, regional and continental associations representing the wind power sector, and the leading international wind energy companies and institutions. With a combined membership of over 1,500 organisations involved in hardware manufacture, project development, power generation, finance and consultancy, as well as researchers, academics and associations, the GWEC associations represent the entire wind energy community. The members of GWEC represent: Over 1,500 companies,organisations and institutions in more than fifty countries All the world ’s major wind turbine manufacturers 99% of the world ’s more than 59,000 MW of installed wind power capacity
http://www.gwec.net/

KitePlace
Kiteplace.com is your intern Kite shop for classic single line kites, dual line stunt kites, Quad line powerkites, and all the needed accissories. Plus a complete selection of Windwheels, Spinners, Twisters, decorative Mobiles, and more. All in one store!
http://www.kiteplace.com/

Wholesale Gifts - A1A GiftsOnline.com
Gifts at Wholesale Prices. No Minimum Orders and No Monthly Fees.
http://www.a1agiftsonline.com

Soulrider networking the surfing world
Soulrider Windsurfing - Community, Surfsessions, Spots, Surftrips, Pictures, News...
http://www.soulrider.com

Wind Telecomunicazioni S.p.a.
Gestore italiano sia di telefonia mobile che fissa.
http://www.wind.it/

American Wind Energy Associan
The American Wind Association is the lobbying force for wind development and voice for wind manufacturers in the United States. This sites provides the public with loads of wind energy information
http://www.awea.org/

Wind River Systems, Inc.
Develops, markets and supports advanced software operating systems which allow customers to create complex real-time software applications for embedded computers and provides consulting services for customers. (Nasdaq: WIND).
http://www.windriver.com/

International Solar Terrestrial Physics (ISTP)
NASA program that studies Sun-Earth interaction with links to an educational component of the program and includes detailed information on a number of satellites and data.
http://www-istp.gsfc.nasa.gov/

The Franklin Institute Science Museum
Features an exhibit on the life of Ben Franklin, a walk-through heart, historic aircraft, an Imax theater, and planetarium. Site has online exhibits and many other web-related science learning resources.
http://sln.fi.edu/

National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
NREL promotes a sustainable energy future by developing renewable energy technologies, improving energy efficiency, advancing related science and engineering, and facilitating commercialization of these technologies by collaborating with industry. Located in Golden, Colorado.
http://www.nrel.gov/