Wind can be described as the movement of air from the high-pressure area to the low-pressure area. There are many types of wind such as permanent, seasonal and local winds. A wind is named after the direction from which it blows, e.g. the wind blowing from the west is called westerly.


The three main types of winds are:

Planetary winds
Also known as primary winds, these winds blow in a particular direction throughout the year. Examples include trade winds, westerlies, and polar easterlies.

Seasonal winds
Also known as secondary or periodic winds, these winds change direction with the seasons. An example is monsoon winds in India.

Local winds
Also known as tertiary winds, these winds blow in a specific area for a particular time of day or year. Examples include land and sea breezes, blizzards, chinooks, Santa Ana, Etesian, or Meltemi.

Wind Classification
Wind can be classified based on various factors such as speed, direction, and origin. Here are the main types of wind:

1. Based on Speed
- **Gentle Breeze**: Speeds between 8 to 12 km/h; feels pleasant and is suitable for outdoor activities.
- **Moderate Breeze**: Speeds of 13 to 24 km/h; can sway branches and lift loose paper.
- **Strong Breeze**: Speeds of 25 to 38 km/h; can break off twigs and make walking against the wind difficult.
- **Gale**: Speeds of 39 to 61 km/h; can uproot trees and cause significant damage.
- **Storm**: Speeds of 62 to 88 km/h; can cause severe destruction.
- **Hurricane**: Speeds greater than 89 km/h; extremely dangerous and can cause catastrophic damage.

2. Based on Direction
- **Prevailing Winds**: Winds that blow predominantly from one direction in a specific region.
- **Trade Winds**: Winds that blow from the subtropical high-pressure areas towards the equator.
- **Westerlies**: Winds that blow from the west in the mid-latitudes.
- **Polar Easterlies**: Cold winds that blow from the polar regions towards lower latitudes.

3. Based on Origin
- **Local Winds**: Winds that are influenced by local geography, such as sea breezes and land breezes.
- **Monsoon Winds**: Seasonal winds that change direction and bring rainfall in certain regions.
- **Katabatic Winds**: Cold winds that flow down from high mountains or glaciers.
Understanding these classifications helps in weather forecasting and studying climate patterns.