Fresh, warm, cool, light, burning, gentle. Only the wind can be like this. Did you know that World Wind Day is celebrated on June 15th? On June 15th, 2007, Europe first celebrated Wind Day, and after two years, this holiday became global. Wind is wonderful and unique.
Interesting facts about the wind:
- Wind arises from uneven distribution of atmospheric pressure. It always moves from the high-pressure zone to the low-pressure zone.
- What synonyms can you find for the word “wind”? Hurricane, storm, typhoon, breeze… There are also monsoons and trade winds.
- Monsoons can last for several months. Usually, they blow in tropical regions and periodically repeat several months a year. These streams have a sharply defined direction of movement.
- Trade winds can blow continuously for the entire year. Constant in strength and direction, these streams help sailors plot their courses. Thanks to special maps, it was not a problem for sailors to navigate between the New World and Europe even in ancient times. Columbus himself followed them.
- The fastest wind on Earth was created by Cyclone “Olivia” in 1996, Australia. The wind blew at a speed of 408 km/h. For comparison, on average, Formula-1 cars reach speeds of 310-330 km/h.
- There is a Wind Museum in Berlin. It is dedicated to wind and the technical evolution of energy production from it.
- Wind can be not only horizontal but also vertical. However, its strength is hundreds of times less than that of horizontal wind.
- You might think that the largest planet, Jupiter, is the owner of the strongest winds in the Solar System. But no, this title was taken away by the smaller Neptune. Olivia is nothing compared to the Neptunian wind, which can reach speeds of up to 600 m/s (over 2,000 km/h).
- The fiercest wind blows in Antarctica. Its speed is not record-breaking (60 km/h), but it is combined with a temperature of 50-60 degrees below zero.
- Wind helps humans generate electricity without polluting the atmosphere or using atomic energy. In 2010, wind power generated 2.5% of the world’s electricity.
- Always wish tailwinds to sailors and travelers. And never to the ski jumpers! Headwinds create an air cushion in front of a skier, which helps them stay in the air longer and cover a greater distance.
- In the USA, the most tornadoes are observed between the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachians. This territory, mainly located in the states of Texas, Kansas, and Oklahoma, is unofficially known as the “Tornado Alley.”
- Tornadoes bring death and destruction to people, but miracles can happen. In 1923, a tornado literally lifted the roof, ceiling, and walls of a rural house in Tennessee. The occupants, who were sitting at the table at the time, were unharmed!
- In 1979, a woman decided to end her life and climbed up to the 86th floor of the Empire State Building and jumped. But a strong gust of wind blew her onto the ledge of the 85th floor, and the suicide attempt ended with a broken leg.
- Wind helps animals avoid danger. Animals sense smell through their keen sense of smell and the airflow when the wind blows from the hunter towards the animal.
- The “Wind Rose” is always taken into account during construction and design. This graph-diagram is built based on long-term observations of the direction and strength of airflow in different locations.
- By the way, runways are strictly designed according to the wind rose.
- What is a sea breeze? You’ve probably felt it while on vacation. The light warm gusts are formed due to the pressure difference between the sea and the warm coast. Cool air from the sea moves towards the shore, and warm air from the shore moves back. That’s how a sea breeze is formed.
- Wind power is used for entertainment and in many sports, such as snowkiting, paragliding, sailing, paragliding, surfing…
- The tool that measures wind speed and direction is called an anemometer.
- “Depression” was the name for a windless area around the equator where sailboats typically got stuck for several weeks. Hence the phrase – being in the doldrums.
