In meteorology, prevailing wind in a region of the Earth's surface is a surface wind that blows predominantly from a particular direction. The dominant winds are the trends in direction of wind with the highest speed over a particular point on the Earth's surface at any given time. A region's prevailing and dominant winds are the result of global patterns of movement in the Earth's atmosphere. In general, winds are predominantly easterly at low latitudes globally. In the mid-latitudes, westerly winds are dominant, and their strength is largely determined by the polar cyclone. In areas where winds tend to be light, the sea breeze/land breeze cycle is the most important cause of the prevailing wind; in areas which have variable terrain, mountain and valley breezes dominate the wind pattern. Highly elevated surfaces can induce a thermal low, which then augments the environmental wind flow.
Wind roses are tools used to display the direction of the prevailing wind. Knowledge of the prevailing wind allows the development of prevention strategies for wind erosion of agricultural land, such as across the Great Plains. Sand dunes can orient themselves perpendicular to the prevailing wind direction in coastal and desert locations. Insects drift along with the prevailing wind, but the flight of birds is less dependent on it. Prevailing winds in mountain locations can lead to significant rainfall gradients, ranging from wet across windward-facing slopes to desert-like conditions along their lee slopes. Prevailing winds can vary due to the uneven heating of the Earth.
Wind rose
A wind rose is a graphic tool used by meteorologists to give a succinct view of how wind speed and direction are typically distributed at a particular location. Presented in a polar coordinate grid, the wind rose shows the frequency of winds blowing from particular directions. The length of each spoke around the circle is related to the proportion of the time that the wind blows from each direction. Each concentric circle represents a different proportion, increasing outwards from zero at the center.
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Le vent est le mouvement d'une partie du gaz constituant une atmosphère planétaire située à la surface d'une planète. Les vents sont globalement provoqués par un réchauffement inégalement réparti à la surface de la planète provenant du rayonnement stellaire (énergie solaire) et par la rotation de la planète. Sur Terre, ce déplacement est essentiel à l'explication de tous les phénomènes météorologiques. Le vent est mécaniquement décrit par les lois de la dynamique des fluides, comme les courants marins.
right|thumb|400px|Carte mondiale des vents dominants à la surface terrestre. au nord du tropique du Cancer et au sud du tropique du Capricorne. Vents d'est (les alizés) sous les tropiques : dans l'hémisphère nord, dans l'hémisphère sud. vignette|redresse=1.3|Carte météorologique animée de l'Atlantique Nord. L'anticyclone des Açores (A) et la dépression d'Islande régissent les climats de l'Europe. En été, l'anticyclone étire une crête barométrique jusqu'à la Cornouaille, donnant des vents d'ouest.
In geography and seamanship, windward (ˈwɪndwərd,_ˈwɪnərd) and leeward (ˈliːwərd,_ˈljuːərd) are directions relative to the wind. Windward is upwind from the point of reference, i.e., towards the direction from which the wind is coming; leeward is downwind from the point of reference, i.e., along the direction towards which the wind is going. The side of a ship that is towards the leeward is its "lee side". If the vessel is heeling under the pressure of crosswind, the lee side will be the "lower side".
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