Question 1 of 15
Winds are named for which direction?
Why: A north wind blows from the north toward the south. This trips up almost everyone at first.
Question 2 of 15
What instrument measures wind speed?
Why: The familiar spinning-cup anemometer converts rotation rate into wind speed.
Question 3 of 15
What causes the Coriolis effect?
Why: Earth's rotation deflects moving air right in the Northern Hemisphere and left in the Southern.
Question 4 of 15
Roughly how fast is the core of a strong jet stream?
Why: Jet stream cores sit near the tropopause and commonly run 100 to 200 mph, which is why eastbound flights are faster.
Question 5 of 15
What defines a derecho?
Why: A derecho produces a damage swath of at least about 400 miles with widespread severe gusts.
Question 6 of 15
What is a microburst?
Why: Microbursts can produce winds over 100 mph and were a major cause of historical aviation accidents.
Question 7 of 15
How does a sea breeze work on a sunny day?
Why: Land heats faster than water, air rises over land, and cooler marine air flows in to replace it.
Question 8 of 15
What are Santa Ana winds known for?
Why: Air compresses and dries as it sinks toward the coast, driving humidity down and fire risk sharply up.
Question 9 of 15
What is a chinook wind?
Why: Chinooks can raise temperatures dozens of degrees in hours on the eastern slopes of the Rockies.
Question 10 of 15
Which scale describes wind by observed effects like smoke drift and swaying trees?
Why: Admiral Beaufort devised it in 1805 so sailors could estimate wind without instruments.
Question 11 of 15
What is the highest surface wind gust ever recorded on Earth?
Why: Cyclone Olivia produced a 253 mph gust at Barrow Island in 1996, surpassing Mount Washington's 1934 record.
Question 12 of 15
What are the trade winds?
Why: Trade winds blow from the northeast and southeast toward the equator and once carried sailing ships west.
Question 13 of 15
What are katabatic winds?
Why: Antarctica produces the most extreme examples, with cold air pouring off the ice sheet at hurricane force.
Question 14 of 15
What is wind shear?
Why: Vertical shear is essential for supercells, but it also tears apart developing hurricanes.
Question 15 of 15
What does a wind rose diagram show?
Why: A wind rose summarizes prevailing direction and speed at a site, useful for airports and wind farms.