Global circulation and jet streams
9 min read
The three-cell model
Warm air rises near the equator and sinks around 30°: the Hadley cell. Between about 30° and 60° the Ferrel cell gives the mid-latitude westerlies; the polar cell sits above 60°.
Near the equator: the ITCZ (intertropical convergence zone), where the trade winds meet: cumulonimbus lines. It moves north and south with the seasons.
Around 30°: the subtropical highs, dry with sinking air (many of the world's deserts).
IN THIS LESSON
- Jet streams
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