Weather Elements: Speed and Direction of Wind

When reading the weather report, we are usually interested in what kind of air temperature is expected, and whether rainfall will occur. But weather reports can also mention wind and its direction. When a northerly wind is blowing, it means the air is moving towards us from the north. Winds blowing from different directions bring different weather. For example, storms are most frequently brought to the Baltic Sea by westerly winds. The northeasterly wind mostly brings cloudless skies and cold air. Warm air reaches Europe with southerly winds.

It is crucial to know the speed and direction of wind if you plan to fly a kite, sail, or ride in a hot air balloon. Wind speed and direction affect the everyday boat connection between the mainland and islands as well as with other countries.

The easiest trick to determine the direction of the wind is as follows: go outdoors, make your finger wet in your mouth, then lift it into the air. We know that the wind accelerates the evaporation of water (laundry dries faster outside). When water evaporates from the surface of the finger, it cools it down. The wind blows from the direction where you feel a coolness on your finger.