Wind Speed Vs. Air Pressure

••• wind mill image by Byron Moore from Fotolia.com

Wind speed and air pressure, also called barometric pressure, are closely related. Wind is created by air flowing from areas of higher pressure to areas of lower pressure. When the air pressure differs greatly over a small distance, high winds will result.

Physics

The change in pressure divided by the change in distance is known as the pressure gradient. The pressure gradient force is one of the basic forces driving weather in the atmosphere.

Hurricanes

Wind speed and barometric pressure are the main indicators of hurricane strength. The high winds in a hurricane are due to the extreme low pressure at the center of the storm. When the pressure in a hurricane drops, higher wind speeds will soon follow.

Tornados

••• springtime in kansas image by Jason Branz from Fotolia.com

The violent winds of a tornado correspond with a highly localized pressure minimum.

Coriolis Effect

As air flows from high pressure toward low pressure over a long distance, the Earth will rotate beneath it, causing the air to be deflected. This is known as the Coriolis effect and is why storms blow clockwise in the northern hemisphere and counterclockwise in the southern hemisphere.

Finding Gradients on a Map

Weather forecasters will often show a map of barometric pressure to explain the current and forecast weather. Anywhere with many lines packed together indicates a large pressure gradient and therefore strong winds. Areas where lines are spaced far apart will have very light winds.

Related Articles

How Are Winds Formed?
What Weather Occurs During a High Pressure System?
How to Read Weather Radar
What Major Wind Belts Affect Our Climate the Most?
How to Draw a Frontal Boundary on a Weather Map
The Four Forces That Influence Wind Speed & Wind Direction
Types of Cyclones
What Happens When Barometric Pressure Rises?
Barometric Pressure Vs. Wind Speed of a Hurricane
At What Speed Does Wind Become a Hurricane?
The Relationship Between Pressure Gradient & Wind Speed
What Is the Difference Between the Troposphere & the...
Does Barometric Pressure Rise or Fall When It Rains?
What Are the Doldrums?
Warm Front Characteristics
Why Does it Rain When the Pressure Is Low?
Barometric Pressure & Snowstorms
What Units Does the Anemometer Measure In?
Which Types of Fronts & Air Masses Bring a Hurricane?
Stages of a Tropical Cyclone

Dont Go!

We Have More Great Sciencing Articles!