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Wind from Storms

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Winds are often associated with storms. Storms, in turn, are produced when high-pressure and low-pressure air masses collide. High and low pressure zones move across the continents.

Low-pressure air masses originate in the tropics. They are created by the huge influx of solar energy in these regions. Huge masses of low-pressure air frequently break away and migrate northward, sweeping across the North American continent.

High-pressure air masses originate in the North and South poles, regions of more or less permanent cold, high-pressure air. Like warm tropical air, huge masses of cold Arctic air also break loose and drift southward, sweeping across the Northern Hemisphere.

High-pressure and low-pressure air masses, often measuring 500 to 1,000 miles in diameter, move across continents. The movement of high- and low-pressure air masses across continents is steered by prevailing winds and by the jet stream (high altitude winds). As these air masses collide, they produce an assortment of weather, often accompanied by winds. As with all other forms of wind, storm winds are created by differences in pressure between high- and low-pressure air masses. The greater the difference in pressure between a high-pressure air mass and a “neighboring” low-pressure air mass, the stronger the winds. In some cases, these winds contain an enormous amount of energy.

Wind Power Basics

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