Definition of Wind Direction
The definition of wind direction is the direction, measured on the points of a compass, from which wind is coming. For example, a wind that is blowing in a northeasterly direction and coming from the southeast is called a southeast wind. The direction of the wind is extremely important in many ways.
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Weather Vane
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Wind direction is measured by an instrument called a weather vane. These have been used for centuries to indicate which direction the wind is coming from and allow people to attempt to forecast the weather based on the wind direction.
Prevailing Winds
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The Earth has defined winds that constantly blow through certain regions from the same direction in normal situations. Called prevailing winds, these winds go by names such as the trade winds, the prevailing westerlies and the polar easterlies and affect the weather of the entire planet.
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Air Travel
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Wind direction, along with speed, are two of the most vital weather facts that airplane pilots concern themselves with. The wind direction and speed directly affects a flight; for instance, a plane flying into a heavy wind will take longer to reach its destination than a plane flying with the wind.
Sporting Events
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The direction of the wind is of great significance at certain sporting events. The wind direction can affect the flight of a baseball, football, or golf ball and become a factor in the actual strategy of each of these sports.
Nor'easters
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In New England, fierce storms that come up the Atlantic Coast will move offshore and bring very strong winds out of the northeast. These nor'easters as they are known can bring heavy snow or rain and high tides along with near hurricane force winds.
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