How do winds affect climate?

How do winds affect climate?

• A. Winds never affect climate.
• B. Jet streams can alter the temperature of the winds, cooling or warming the land.
• C. Winds only affect rainfall.
• D. Winds determine the amount of sunshine.

Answer: (B)

Winds influence climate by moving heat and moisture around the globe. In the mid-latitudes, jet streams are fast-moving rivers of air high in the atmosphere that steer weather systems. Where the jet stream sits and how strong it is determines which air masses reach a region. If the jet stream carries warm air from the tropics into an area, surface temperatures rise; if it dips south and draws in cold polar air, temperatures drop. Because these upper-level air currents control which air masses arrive and how they move, they can warm or cool the land, making the statement about jet streams altering the temperature of the winds the best choice. Winds also affect rainfall and cloudiness, which in turn influences sunshine, but sunshine itself is mainly governed by cloud cover, not winds alone.