LATITUDE VS WINDSPEED

The latitude and tilt of the earth are key factors which determine the climate at a particular location. The air that rises at the equator does not flow directly to the poles. Due to the rotation of the earth, there is a build up of air at about 30° north and south of the equator. Some of the air sinks, causing a belt of high-pressure at this latitude. Winds in the upper levels will blow clockwise around areas of high pressure and counterclockwise around areas of low pressure. The speed of the wind is determined by the pressure gradient. The winds are strongest in regions where the isobars are close together. Surface friction plays an important role in the speed and direction of surface winds. As a result of the slowing down of the air as it moves over the ground, wind speeds are less than would be expected from the pressure gradient on the weather map and the direction is changed so that the wind blows across the isobars into a center of low pressure and out of a center of high pressure. Hence windspeeds are higher in cities west of the equator as shown in the scatterplot above. The highest windspeed recorded is 17.4mph on the date of analysis.