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When the Wind Blows

Tight packing of isobars illustrates a damaging 1987 windstorm in England. (UK Met Office)
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • Wind originates from the unequal heating of the Earth, leading to global circulation patterns like the Hadley Cell (driving trade winds), complex mid-latitude baroclinic systems (generating the jet stream), and localized mesoscale circulations that can cause forecast inaccuracies.
  • METAR observations provide key wind information, including direction (true vs. magnetic north), sustained speed, and gusts, with gusts often indicating unstable air and potential turbulence.
  • Changes in wind direction are described as "backing" (counterclockwise) or "veering" (clockwise), which are critical indicators of warm/cold air advection and atmospheric destabilization.
  • The fundamental forces driving wind are the pressure gradient, the Coriolis effect (influencing large-scale systems), and friction, which collectively determine wind speed, direction, and vertical motion at different atmospheric levels, including upper-level jet streams.
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There’s no phenomena that shapes the flying experience quite like wind. It’s almost always present in some form. A crosswind makes for tricky landings, a gusty wind brings a bumpy flight, and a strong tailwind buys you an extra 15 minutes at your destination. It makes sense that this temperamental, fickle element should get an entire article of its own in hopes we can understand it a little better.

Where Wind Comes From

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