Hey Ray: Where does wind come from?
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Wind is a topic I always get questions about.
The first part of understanding wind is understanding pressure.
Air pressure is always trying to balance itself, or even itself out. To do that, areas of high-pressure blow toward areas of low pressure. Essentially, essentially causing wind.
To better show you this, let's use a can of pop.
Think of a can of pop as an area of higher pressure. When you open the can, you may notice a slight spray or even a small cloud. That is the air pressure trying to balance itself. It does so by creating a small wind that blows outward.
Once the pressure is equalized, the wind stops.
If you shake the can, the pressure grows inside. When you open the can, that pressure also wants to equalize. Since the can has a higher pressure, the pressure release is greater, causing a bigger reaction!
In our atmosphere, we have large areas of High and Low pressure. When the changes in air pressure between the two are small, the winds are weak.
When you have big changes in pressure, though, those winds will be much stronger. These strong areas of low pressure can bring major wind gusts, even if there are no thunderstorms with it.
Oh yeah, in the past I showed you how to open a can of pop that was shaken.
