What Are Surface Winds

Surface wind is the wind blowing near the Earth’s surface. It is measured by an anemometer (speed) or wind vane (wind direction) at a standard height of 10 m above ground .

What are surface winds called?

In meteorology, prevailing wind in a region of the Earth’s surface is a surface wind that blows predominantly from a particular direction. The dominant winds are the trends in direction of wind with the highest speed over a particular point on the Earth’s surface.

What are surface winds affected by?

The surface of the Earth exerts a frictional drag on the air blowing just above it. This friction can act to change the wind’s direction and slow it down — keeping it from blowing as fast as the wind aloft. Actually, the difference in terrain conditions directly affects how much friction is exerted.