What are divergent winds?

Asked by: John Smith

Divergence occurs when a stronger wind moves away from a weaker wind or when air streams move in opposite directions. When divergence occurs in the upper levels of the atmosphere it leads to rising air.

What do divergent winds cause?

The convergence of horizontal winds causes air to rise, whereas the divergence of horizontal winds causes downward motion of the air (subsidence).

What are convergent winds?

Convergence in a horizontal wind field indicates that more air is entering a given area than is leaving at that level. To compensate for the resulting “excess,” vertical motion may result: upward forcing if convergence is at low levels, or downward forcing (subsidence) if convergence is at high levels.

Where does wind converge?

At the surface, low pressure systems have a counterclockwise rotation in the Northern Hemisphere, with the wind turning slightly inward towards the lowest pressure. This causes air to converge, or come together, at the center of the low near the ground. Since the converging air has nowhere else to go, it rises.

Does divergence cause rain?

If we have a divergence near Earth’s surface, which occurs in high pressure areas, then there is convergence at the tropopause. In between, the vertical velocity is downward. That is, w is negative. The outward moving air above low pressure creates cooling, which leads to clouds and precipitation.

What is convergence and divergence?

Divergence generally means two things are moving apart while convergence implies that two forces are moving together. In the world of economics, finance, and trading, divergence and convergence are terms used to describe the directional relationship of two trends, prices, or indicators.

Does cold air converge or diverge?

Cold air advection also results in convergence of air aloft. This upper level convergence will cause the air to sink and will give generally clear skies. If the winds travel from warm to cold air, we have warm air advection and a ridge will strengthen.

What does convergence mean?

Definition of convergence



1 : the act of converging and especially moving toward union or uniformity the convergence of the three rivers especially : coordinated movement of the two eyes so that the image of a single point is formed on corresponding retinal areas. 2 : the state or property of being convergent.

Why do convergent winds form?

The Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) lies in the equatorial trough, a permanent low-pressure feature where surface trade winds, laden with heat and moisture, converge to form a zone of increased convection, cloudiness, and precipitation.

Is high pressure convergent or divergent?

Have the opposite direction but for right now I'm just going to concentrate on the northern hemisphere so with our low-pressure. System here our winds converge into the center of this low-pressure

What is divergent flow?

Divergence measures the change in density of a fluid flowing according to a given vector field.

Does diverging or converging air produce hurricanes?

Waves that occur within the dominant easterly winds over the tropical Atlantic cause areas of converging and diverging winds. The convergence forces air to rise, triggering numerous thunderstorms that can go on to become hurricanes.

How do divergence and convergence contribute to storms?

Generally speaking, ascending air often leads to formation of cloud and rain, while subsidence brings fine weather. Weather is directly affected by the vertical motion of air which, in turn, is influenced by horizontal convergence and divergence.

Why is upper air divergence important in the formation of a cyclone?

If the upper levels are favorable for cyclone development, then there is a region of divergence aloft above the developing Low-pressure center. This will help pull the air that is converging at the surface upward and continue to develop the surface cyclone.

What is Convergent weather?

A convergence zone in meteorology is a region in the atmosphere where two prevailing flows meet and interact, usually resulting in distinctive weather conditions. This causes a mass accumulation that eventually leads to a vertical movement and to the formation of clouds and precipitation.