An examination into what causes wind
Atlantic Canada is known for a lot of things when it comes to our weather — and one of the most notable is wind.
People often joke that we’re so used to wind that what’s considered strong elsewhere is just a breeze here. Some of the windiest communities are right here in our region.
Temperature is the main cause of wind as gases in our atmosphere react to changes in temperature. Atoms and molecules move faster, spread out and rise when warm but get slower, clustered together and sink when colder.
The surface of Earth is heated unevenly because the sun hits different parts of our Earth at different angles. The presence of clouds, oceans and mountains are among other factors. This uneven heating creates areas of highand low-pressure.
Air pressure is always trying to reach a state of equilibrium, or balance, and as an attempt to restore balance, gases move from areas of high-pressure to low-pressure and create wind.
The larger the change in pressure, the stronger the winds blow. Isobars, which are lines of equal pressure, signal how strong winds are blowing. The closer the isobars are together the fasters the winds will be.
So, why does Atlantic Canada in particular experience so much wind?
There are various factors, including the west-to-east motion of the jet stream and the ridges and troughs associated with it, the passage of high- and low-pressure systems, and clashes with cold and warm temperatures.
Terrain also plays a part, but the biggest influence is the ocean. This is because of temperature differences between land and sea and the fact that both warm and cool at different rates, which creates land and sea breezes.
Whether a light breeze or blowing a gale, wind is a part of our everyday weather and has a big influence on the weather we experience.