Trade winds (tropical easterlies) are winds occurring near the equator in the tropics moving in which direction?

Trade winds (tropical easterlies) are winds occurring near the equator in the tropics moving in which direction?

• A. Winds Near the Equator Moving West
• B. Winds Near the Equator Moving East
• C. Winds Moving North
• D. Winds Moving South

Answer: (B)

Trade winds are known as tropical easterlies because they blow from the east toward the west near the equator. The basic pattern comes from strong heating at the equator causing air to rise there, with cooler air from higher latitudes moving in at the surface to replace it. The rotation of the Earth (the Coriolis effect) deflects these surface winds so that they curve to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere, creating consistently east-to-west flow toward the equator. So, while the winds are described as coming from the east (easterlies), their movement is toward the west.

Trade winds are known as tropical easterlies because they blow from the east toward the west near the equator. The basic pattern comes from strong heating at the equator causing air to rise there, with cooler air from higher latitudes moving in at the surface to replace it. The rotation of the Earth (the Coriolis effect) deflects these surface winds so that they curve to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere, creating consistently east-to-west flow toward the equator. So, while the winds are described as coming from the east (easterlies), their movement is toward the west.