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Definition of whirlwind

 (Entry 1 of 2)

Definition of whirlwind  (Entry 2 of 2)

  • fleet-footed

Examples of whirlwind in a Sentence

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'whirlwind.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

1614, in the meaning defined above

Articles Related to whirlwind

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Dictionary Entries Near whirlwind

Cite this entry.

“Whirlwind.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whirlwind. Accessed 8 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of whirlwind.

Kids Definition of whirlwind  (Entry 2 of 2)

More from Merriam-Webster on whirlwind

Nglish: Translation of whirlwind for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about whirlwind

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Are We Caught in a Whirlwind or a World Wind?

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The other day I heard someone refer to a whirlwind, but they pronounced it “world wind.” And I found myself thinking how apt this invented word actually is: The storm we’re in is monumental in scale, and actually does sweep across the entire world. It’s a storm of fury and opposition to religion, a tempest of temptation, an angry force which requires every one of us to take a stand. But can we do it? Can we fight a virtual tornado that’s sweeping through our lives?

Whirlwinds fascinate us. We stare at even a minor dust devil and wonder how it got started, how it keeps spinning, and what makes it finally stop. Major whirlwinds account for deaths and damage all over the globe, and we’ve all seen heartbreaking footage of buildings, animals, vehicles, and people being thrown into the air like toothpicks when such storms hit.

So I wasn’t surprised to see numerous suggestions about how to subdue such a storm and save lives, in researching online. But I was astounded at the incredible variety of ideas people have, theories about ways to stop a twister in its tracks.

First, you must understand the basics of how funnels form. When a supercell thunderstorm starts to spin, it reacts with other winds, and a shaft begins to form and spin as well. But weather conditions have to be exactly right, with a cold, rainy downdraft and a warm updraft.

Most of the suggestions are implausible, though brainstorming could lead to one of these hypotheticals becoming reality one day. The ideas I saw included sound disruption (like when a singer can break a glass with her voice), bombs, heating the cold downdraft with a solar-powered microwave beam from a satellite to control the weather, spraying oil over seawater to prevent evaporation and weaken hurricanes, using jet contrails to affect temperature swings, and even diverting the path of a cyclone with a giant mirror that reflects the sun’s energy. None of these are in use, but research continues.

All this energy and study made me wonder: Do we put that much effort into battling the storm of Satan’s forces that want to trip us up?  Surely his impact is more deadly than the physical storms we confront; Lucifer would destroy our very souls, not just our bodies and our belongings. The Doctrine and Covenants tells us of wars and rumors of wars, the voice of thunderings, all things being in commotion, men’s hearts failing them, and more. But do we go to the whiteboard, so to speak, and try to come up with a formula to combat Lucifer?

I think we can learn several things from earthly storm fighters. Every one of them agrees that it’s better to prevent a storm, than to stop one after it has started. How true this is of addictions, angry explosions, bad choices that hurt us and others, literally every harmful move within our control. So, like the old expression, “Be smart—don’t start” we can avoid those situations that are particularly tough for us. If drinking tempts you, don’t go to a bar. Don’t hang out with friends who constantly party. Take steps to protect yourself from areas where you know you’re vulnerable. Just as a smart general shores up areas of vulnerability in a war, so can we add extra armor, including loved ones to help us, where we need it.

Next, just as scientists research storm formation, learn how the adversary works. There’s no better manual for learning the tactics of this enemy than The Book of Mormon. Its pages are filled with examples of Satan’s attempts to thwart God’s plan. Over and over we see those who foolishly succumb and also those who triumph over evil. These lessons apply exactly to our struggles today.

What about disrupting a storm? Have you ever intervened when two people were quarreling, to separate opposing forces and restore peace? We can consciously make this effort to calm harsh voices, to work toward solutions, and to build bridges. Interfaith outreach is a perfect example of setting aside differences to work toward common goals. But we can also do this within the walls of our homes, at school, and at the workplace.

Do we need extreme solutions, sometimes? We do. Maybe we need to put our child in a safer school. Or quit a job where illegal activity is going on. Or fight for peace over tyranny. I recall a church video that depicted a porn addict throwing out his computer. Or someone tired of corruption who chooses to run for office. Perhaps we need to forgive someone and take them in our arms. That doesn’t sound like a giant bomb going off, but the impact could be life-changing. Sometimes when something huge is causing destruction, we need the courage to try a solution that’s equally vast.

How about heating a cold downdraft? What if we can diffuse enemies with love and even humor? Can we change the “weather” by refusing to fuel a brewing storm? Can we offer help to someone who has always been bitter and nasty? Sometimes we really can calm hostility by showing compassion and charity.

I thought about the notion of reflecting the sun’s energy, and how that might work on a spiritual level. Can we reflect the Son’s energy? By taking His name upon us—which we do every time we partake of the Sacrament—we pledge to do this. We wear his name. We try as best we can to do what Jesus would do. And that means we sometimes have to make bold, difficult choices in standing for right and defending the underdog. Sometimes we have to risk rejection and unpopularity.

I think about what President Russell M. Nelson said recently: “It is precisely because we do care deeply about all of God’s children that we proclaim his truth. We may not always tell people what people want to hear. Prophets are rarely popular. But we will always teach the truth.”

By following our leaders we can safely navigate this stormy world. They will stand as beacons of light in the swirling darkness of confusion that blankets the earth.

world wind trip meaning

During my cancer battle of the last couple of years I’ve been given some inspiring quotes and one of them applies perfectly here: “Don’t tell God how big your storm is. Tell the storm how big your God is.”  This is exactly the right approach. When we choose to be on God’s side, we enlist His help to form an unstoppable team. Only then can we truly defeat the forces of evil, and we can do it worldwide.

Hilton’s newest work, A Little Christmas Prayer , is destined to become a Christmas classic. This tale, for any reader of any faith, teaches us all the magic of gratitude. All her books and Youtube Mom videos can be found on her website . She currently serves as an Interfaith Specialist for Public Affairs.

Terri Wagner November 7, 2019

I love your analogy. I live in an area prone to hurricanes, and we are always learning more about to survive. The aftermath is sometimes more overwhelming than the storm itself.

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Meteorology . a relatively small mass of air rotating rapidly around a more or less vertical axis and simultaneously advancing over land or sea: specific categories of whirlwind include dust devil , dust whirl , tornado , and waterspout : The sails were carried up to the mastheads by the force of the whirlwind.

anything resembling a whirlwind, as in violent action or destructive force: a fiery whirlwind of shrapnel.

someone or something characterized by great energy or swiftness, often with an atmosphere of chaos: a staff of three do-nothings and one whirlwind; a whirlwind of activity at the stock exchange.

like a whirlwind, as in speed or force: a whirlwind visit to New York.

to move or travel quickly: You can't just whirlwind in and out of their lives and expect them to be OK with that.

Idioms about whirlwind

(sow the wind and) reap the whirlwind , to suffer the penalties for one's misdeeds. Hosea 8:7.

Origin of whirlwind

Other words for whirlwind, words nearby whirlwind.

  • whirligig beetle
  • whirling dervish
  • whirlpool bath

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use whirlwind in a sentence

The holiday season is set to be a whirlwind , and there’s no time left to pivot, but Amazon is a good place to be at this time.

It’s a heart-wrenching choice not to spend the holidays with your loved ones, especially after this whirlwind of a year, but unfortunately in pandemic times, the safest thing to do is stay apart.

Alas, I live in Los Angeles, and even if I lived in New York, now doesn’t seem like the best time to be having a whirlwind love story with someone I’ve never met.

To eliminate it is to court the whirlwind of governance — to accept that your opponents may win elections, to risk their agenda passing into law.

At our center, which comprises nothing, like the hollowness in the middle of a whirlwind , we fall back into the world.

He talks about a whirlwind weekend-long affair with a man he met at a club in Berlin.

Well known for his inability to say no to worthy causes, Palmer has always been a whirlwind of good works.

After a whirlwind romance, Sarkozy quickly married Bruni in February 2008.

Later that month he was making his first whirlwind foreign trip to identify countries that might be willing to take detainees.

This year has been a whirlwind for Kate Bosworth—featuring a new movie, new design collaboration, and even a new husband.

They burst out of the mouth of the canyon, a smoke-wreathed whirlwind , heading for the protection of the river.

She took one look, then struck her horse a sharp blow and, like a whirlwind , came upon the scene.

With regard to the whirlwind , perhaps it might correspond better to Dors picture; it has not turned out quite what I wanted.

Before your pots can feel the thorns, he shall take them away as in a whirlwind , both living, and in his wrath.

Meanwhile the leading Apaches, not now more than fifty in number, were swept along by the same whirlwind of brute instinct.

British Dictionary definitions for whirlwind

/ ( ˈwɜːlˌwɪnd ) /

a column of air whirling around and towards a more or less vertical axis of low pressure, which moves along the land or ocean surface

a motion or course resembling this, esp in rapidity

( as modifier ) : a whirlwind romance

an impetuously active person

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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Who Needs a Whirlwind Trip When You Can Take It Slow?

The slow travel movement has come into its own during the pandemic, as many travelers contemplate the need for more thoughtful, sustainable forms of exploring.

world wind trip meaning

By Elaine Glusac

For many travelers, the prepandemic pace of whirlwind getaways and bucket-list-skimming trips seems so 2019. Now, as destinations cautiously reopen, travelers who spent a year or more confronted by climate change, social activism and a lack of human connection are embracing slow motion as a sustainable speed for exploring the world.

Marguerite Hanley, a native Californian who lives in Amsterdam, is one of those travelers. “After a year of being forced to look inward, we have all realized the value and impact of our actions, both globally in terms of Covid, as humans infringing on habitat, and how we treat people in our community,” said Ms. Hanley, who recently decided to decelerate an ambitious honeymoon in Africa planned for next March. Instead of a whirlwind trip that included a Botswana safari, a visit to Cape Town and an exploration of South African wine country, she scaled down to concentrate on a few camps in Botswana that support conservation and local communities.

“It made sense to stay longer, bring our euros to a couple of communities and reduce our carbon footprint, too,” she said.

Slow travel grew out of the slow food movement, which emphasizes sustainable, local and organic food, and prizes artisanal traditions. It isn’t new — the appeal of walking the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route in Spain, for example, has endured for centuries. But it’s attracting more travelers now for a variety of reasons: as a salve to social distancing, a response to flight-shaming, a meditative breather or an exercise of pandemic-inspired caution. These more mindful trips involve visiting fewer places and sometimes transiting slower, whether by car, train, bike, foot or canoe.

“While typical travel is all about what you do, slow travel emphasizes how you do it,” Kyle Kowalski, the founder of Sloww , a website devoted to slow living, wrote in an email. “Instead of a jam-packed itinerary, slow travel is about intentionally choosing where you will do less in order to experience more. Instead of rushing from one thing to the next, slow travel is about balance and pace, leaving open time to create space and spontaneity.”

A pandemic-inspired pace

Whether they wanted to or not, many people have experienced a slower life during the pandemic, which has fed the slow travel movement.

The environmental gains witnessed during the pandemic as travel ebbed convinced Julia Douglas, a social media manager in Los Angeles, to walk whenever possible rather than order an Uber. On a recent trip from New York City to Buffalo, N.Y., she took an eight-hour train ride rather than fly as part of an effort “to make small changes that would prolong the improvement in pollution, which the world saw when traveling by plane almost completely stopped,” she said.

While commuter train ridership has suffered during the pandemic, long-distance train travel has shown signs of resurgence. Amtrak Vacations , a tour operator that bundles hotels, excursions and travel by train, said bookings were up 47 percent this year to date compared to 2019. In Europe, where 2021 has been designated the European Year of Rail by the European Union to highlight sustainable transportation, long-distance train travel has been revived. Night train networks have made a comeback and one start-up, Midnight Trains , plans to launch luxury sleeper cars on routes from Paris to more than 10 cities beginning in 2024.

Work-from-anywhere policies, born of the pandemic, enabled many to stretch their trips. Airbnb said its stays of 28 days or more had increased 10 percent in the first quarter of 2021 compared to the same period in 2019. Exclusive Resorts , a membership home rental service, said bookings of 21 days or more grew 550 percent in 2021 compared to 2019.

The time-consuming requirements of travel today, such as testing or applying for entry, also tend to slow things down.

“In the before times, it was common for travelers to pack in as many destinations and countries as possible, and a Southern Africa safari could include two, three or four countries,” said Jeremy Townsend, the marketing director for Next Adventures , based in Berkeley, Calif. “Today, with required Covid tests for entry and spotty flight connections, our clients are opting for single-country safaris to places like Kenya, Uganda or Zambia that offer a wide variety of experiences with the convenience of reliable international access.”

Getting a Covid-19 test 72 hours before returning to the United States from abroad, as required , is a natural brake.

“Traveling is complicated right now, and we’re recommending that clients add on a few days at the end of their vacation near to their departure point, in order to more easily deal with the requirements for testing before getting onto a flight home,” said Simon Scutt, the director of On Foot Holidays , which specializes in European walking tours.

Anti-checklist travel

But it’s not just practicalities pumping the brakes. There’s a calming appeal to travelers who may feel overwhelmed after more than a year of nervous coexistence with the coronavirus.

In anticipation of Norway’s recent opening to vaccinated American travelers, Up Norway , a bespoke travel company, began selling the concept of “ kos ,” a Norwegian term for peace, harmony and gratitude cultivated “when one takes their time traveling, soaking in the simple joys of culture and natural beauty,” according to a news release touting 28-day stays in remote areas of the country.

It’s a far cry from seeing Big Ben, the Eiffel Tower and the Roman Colosseum — the package-trip hit parade — in a week.

“We used to book a lot of Europe and Asia where people just wanted to check spots off their list,” said Denise Ambrusko-Maida, a travel adviser and the owner of the travel agency Travel Brilliant in Buffalo, N.Y. “People are pulling away from tourist hot spots. They don’t want to be crammed in and shuffling along in lines.”

Rebecca Werner, a Chicago-based travel adviser with Protravel, recently booked a summer train trip to Glacier National Park for a Wisconsin family of four who are fans of the Netflix mini-series “The Queen’s Gambit.” It was a “good way to catch up with their kids and see some good scenery, plus play some chess on the train,” she said.

For these travelers, pursuing personal passions has supplanted the bucket list.

Working with the bespoke travel agency Untold Story Travel , David Demers of Naples, Fla., is organizing two nearly monthlong trips next year to Israel and the Mediterranean with ample time to pursue his interests in history, theater, food and art.

“In the past, travel was about packing in as much as you can, running around checking boxes, which becomes mechanical,” said Mr. Demers, who recently sold his health care company. “The pandemic taught us all that it’s OK to not go fast, to focus on what’s important.”

With that in mind, the travel company Sojrn recently launched monthlong trips staying in one destination, each with an educational theme such as philosophy in Athens, wine in Italy or Spanish language in Colombia. Travelers stay in local apartments and participate in weekly dinners and events, leaving lots of unstructured time to work and explore.

“I’m trying not to plan everything out to the minute like I have done in the past,” said Cara Wright, of Apple Valley, Minn., who plans to continue working for a nonprofit while in Italy in October with Sojrn.

A sustainable speed

For others, like Donna Hetrick, a potter based in Pittsburgh who is bound for Africa, slow travel is about reducing their environmental impact.

“I couldn’t justify a two-week safari,” said Ms. Hetrick, who instead plans to spend several months biking in Africa beginning in 2022 with TDA Global Cycling . In addition to amortizing her carbon footprint and seeing a place in depth, the long trip offers connection. “When you’re on a bicycle, you are accessible to people,” she said.

As a form of tourism that espouses treading lightly, going off the beaten path, connecting with community and patronizing locally owned businesses — all tenets of sustainable travel — slow tourism is also being championed as a correction to overtourism, the kind of overcrowding that plagued destinations such as Dubrovnik before the pandemic.

“Slow tourism is more sustainable because people tend to spend more time in a destination and spread out,” said Martha Honey, the former executive director of the Center for Responsible Travel and co-editor of the book “ Overtourism: Lessons for a Better Future .

She describes slow travel as a “win-win” for both the traveler, who engages more deeply in a destination, and the destination, which sees the benefits of travel dispersed, and credits the recent buy-local movement, forged in the pandemic as communities pulled together to keep local businesses afloat, for popularizing slow principles.

“It’s less disruptive and more economically beneficial,” Ms. Honey added.

As indicated by the popularity of destinations such as Alaska and Montana this summer, travelers continue to avoid densely populated places. In a recent survey of more than 800 travelers in five countries, including the United States, by Flywire , a payment-processing service, three-quarters said they would look for an uncrowded destination when they travel.

For eco-conscious explorers who cling to Phileas Fogg -like ambitions of circumnavigating the globe, but fret over their impact, the sustainable tour operator Responsible Travel recently introduced an 11-week trip — roughly 80 days — around the world by train and cargo ship, crossing Europe to Central Asia, following the Silk Road to China, then shipping out across the Pacific for North America.

“The journey becomes part of the travel experience rather than just a way of getting from A to B,” said Anna Rice, a manager at Responsible Travel who spent a year beginning in 2011 traveling around the world by train and ship, and discovering, among other things, that Vietnam, China, Russia and Poland all had a similar dumpling with a different name. “You become much more aware of your surroundings and how countries are connected in subtle ways in terms of culture and their environments.”

Moving at the speed of humans

For those to whom trains and freighters are too mechanized, human-powered travel, such as hiking, biking and paddling, allow for maximum exposure to nature and the small details blurred at higher speeds.

“You get to see things you don’t see in a car because you’re going slow,” said Kristi Growdon, a personal golf trainer based in Seattle who took a cycling trip to Utah in April with VBT Bicycling Vacations . The company has nearly sold out all domestic departures this year. At the Maine Island Trail Association , which manages a route across more than 200 undeveloped islands along the Maine coast, membership, which includes access to trail information, jumped 23 percent last year.

A sea kayak “takes you into a place other boats cannot go, the intertidal zone,” said Michael Daugherty, the co-owner of Sea Kayak Stonington , which offers boat rentals and guided trips to some of the islands on the trail. “There’s tide and swell and it’s dynamic, and you’re much more aware of that in a small boat.”

He runs the business with his wife, Rebecca Daugherty, an artist, and together they have paddled 625 miles along the Maine coast, producing the 2020 illustrated book “ Upwest & Downeast .”

“I’m a painter, and it takes a while to see a place,” Ms. Daugherty said. “I felt on that 55-day trip, it wasn’t slow enough.”

New ways to slow down

Where there’s a trend in travel, tour operators follow, as indicated by a new wave of relaxed vacation packages.

The active travel company Backroads , launched a division this year called Dolce Tempo , offering a less ambitious pace. Nearly all 2021 trips are sold out; in 2022, it plans to add 100 new Dolce Tempo departures at home and abroad, including Scandinavia, England and along the Danube River.

Motorists can drive from Denver to Moab, Utah, in about five and a half hours. But beginning in August, riders of the Rocky Mountaineer train can cover the route in two days on a scenic ride with an overnight stay in Glenwood Springs, Colo. The new Rockies to the Red Rocks route has been so popular the company has added capacity and extended its inaugural season to Nov. 19. Notably, there is no Wi-Fi onboard.

In southern Utah, the new Aquarius Trail Hut System stations five backcountry huts — fashioned from recycled shipping containers and powered by solar energy — across a 190-mile bicycling route from Brian Head Peak to the town of Escalante. Cyclists pedal in the Dixie National Forest through the hoodoos of Red Canyon and skirt Bryce Canyon National Park.

Jared Fisher, who owns the Las Vegas-based cycling outfitter Escape Adventures , developed the Aquarius Trail Hut System over five years to make “bike-packing” — or backpacking via bike — accessible by including food and bedding, which reduces the amount of gear and planning required. An avid bike-packer, Mr. Fisher has ridden across the United States three times.

“Personally, I enjoy the freedom and head space” of traveling by bike, he said. “I love to be out in nature and feel it, smell it, taste it.”

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram , Twitter and Facebook . And sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to receive expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation.

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Middle school Earth and space science - NGSS

Course: middle school earth and space science - ngss   >   unit 3, global winds and currents.

  • Understand: global winds and currents

Key points:

  • A current is the steady flow of a fluid (such as air or water) within a larger body of that fluid.
  • Prevailing winds are air currents that blow mainly in one direction. The global pattern of prevailing winds is caused by the uneven heating of Earth’s surface.
  • As prevailing winds blow across the ocean, they create surface currents in the water. Both prevailing winds and surface currents appear to curve due to Earth’s rotation. This is known as the Coriolis effect .
  • Surface currents connect to form large, rotating systems called gyres . Gyres circulate heat around Earth by moving warm water from the equator to the poles.
  • The ocean also contains deep currents that are driven by differences in density. Denser water, which is colder and saltier, sinks into the ocean. Less dense water, which is warmer and less salty, rises.
  • These vertical currents are connected by horizontal currents at the surface and in the deep ocean. Together, this system of currents is called the overturning circulation .

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Global Wind Patterns and Wind Belts

There are several kinds of wind blowing across the surface of the Earth, depending on the origin, destination, and distance traveled, among other factors. These are called prevailing or planetary winds. Global winds are one such type of wind.

Global winds are winds that develop in belts distributed all around the world. Like local winds, the leading cause of global winds is unequal heating of the atmosphere, causing a difference in air pressure.

What Causes Global Wind Patterns

Earth is hottest at the Equator and cooler toward the poles. In the area near the Equator, the sun is overhead for most of the year. As a result, the warm air rises and moves towards the poles. This phenomenon creates a low-pressure zone near the equatorial area called the Equatorial Low-Pressure Zone, also known as the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). At the polar front, the cooler air sinks and moves back towards the Equator.

Almost 30° north and 30° south of the Equator, this air cools and descends to create high-pressure zones called Subtropical High-Pressure Zones. Cold air at the poles descends and creates Polar High-Pressure Zones. The cold polar air moves at about 60° north and south towards the Equator and starts rising.

This unique, permanent movement of winds across the surface of the Earth due to permanent air pressure zones creates a distinct pattern known as global wind patterns or global wind systems.

world wind trip meaning

However, global winds do not move directly from north to south or south to north due to the rotation of the Earth. All winds in the Northern Hemisphere curves to the right as they move. Contrastingly, winds appear to curve to the left in the southern hemisphere. This apparent shift in the path of the wind moving about the Earth’s surface due to the Earth’s rotation is called the Coriolis Effect.

The global movement of air on the Earth in the three atmospheric convection cells is summarized below:

What Factors Contribute to Global Winds

Thus the pattern of global winds is affected by:

  • Unequal heating of the Earth 
  • High and low-pressure areas (Pressure Gradients)
  • Coriolis Effect
  • Convection Cells

What are Global Wind Belts

As we now know, three types of prevailing winds on the Earth form three major global wind belts created due to the Coriolis Effect. They are named based on their origin and the area where they blow. We will now describe them in more detail.

1. Tropical Easterlies (Trade Winds)

Location – 0° to 30° Latitude

They are persistent winds that blow westward and toward the Equator from the subtropical high-pressure belt. Trade Winds finally converge at an area near the ITCZ, producing a narrow band of clouds, and thunderstorms encircle portions of the globe. It is more robust and consistent over the oceans than the land, often producing partly cloudy sky conditions characterized by shallow cumulus clouds or clear skies.

Most tropical storms, including hurricanes, cyclones, and typhoons, develop as trade winds.

2. Westerlies 

Location – 30° to 60° Latitude

They are moist prevailing winds that blow from the subtropical high-pressure belts towards sub-polar low-pressure belts. Westerlies come from the southwest in the Northern Hemisphere and the northwest in the Southern Hemisphere. 

Westerlies are essential in carrying the warm, equatorial winds to the western coasts of continents.

3. Polar Easterlies

Location – 60° to 90° Latitude

They are dry, cold prevailing winds that blow from the high-pressure areas of the polar highs in both hemispheres. They flow towards low-pressure areas within the Westerlies at high latitudes. Cold air subsides at the pole creating high pressure, creating a northward flow of wind towards the Equator in the southern hemisphere. The flow is then deflected westward by the Coriolis Effect. Thus, these prevailing winds blow from the east to the west.

Since the winds originate in the east, they are then known as easterlies.

How Do Global Winds Affect Climate

The global wind belts are associated with typical weather conditions, and the prevailing winds lead to seasonal climatic changes in many places on Earth. All low-pressure areas are associated with high precipitation (tropical rainforests), and all high-pressure areas are associated with arid climates (deserts).

Jet Streams and Global Wind Belts

The polar jet stream or the jet stream blows high up in the atmosphere where the two cells meet. They are fast-moving air currents at the boundary between the troposphere and the stratosphere. 

They also develop due to the unequal heating of the Earth’s surface, creating a vast temperature difference between two air masses. Jet streams circle the planet, mainly from west to east, but the flow often shifts to the north and south. The polar jets are the strongest jet streams that blow between about 30°N and 50° to 75°N. They blow towards the south in the winter and north in the summer.

Ans . No. Deep currents are caused by the moon’s gravity, the Earth’s rotation, and the movement of the tectonic plates.

Ans . Since prevailing westerlies dominate most of the United States, they blow from the southwest.

  • Global Wind Belts – Flexbooks.ck12.org
  • Global Pressure Belts and Prevailing Winds – Study.com
  • Global Wind Definition – Study.com
  • Global Wind Patterns – Fau.edu
  • Global Wind Explained – E-education.psu.edu

Article was last reviewed on Thursday, February 2, 2023

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ENCYCLOPEDIC ENTRY

Wind energy.

Scientists and engineers are using energy from the wind to generate electricity. Wind energy, or wind power, is created using a wind turbine.

Earth Science, Climatology

As renewable energy technology continues to advance and grow in popularity, wind farms like this one have become an increasingly common sight along hills, fields, or even offshore in the ocean.

Photograph by inga spence / Alamy Stock Photo

As renewable energy technology continues to advance and grow in popularity, wind farms like this one have become an increasingly common sight along hills, fields, or even offshore in the ocean.

Anything that moves has kinetic energy , and scientists and engineers are using the wind’s kinetic energy to generate electricity. Wind energy , or wind power , is created using a wind turbine , a device that channels the power of the wind to generate electricity.

The wind blows the blades of the turbine , which are attached to a rotor. The rotor then spins a generator to create electricity. There are two types of wind turbines : the horizontal - axis wind turbines (HAWTs) and vertical - axis wind turbines (VAWTs). HAWTs are the most common type of wind turbine . They usually have two or three long, thin blades that look like an airplane propeller. The blades are positioned so that they face directly into the wind. VAWTs have shorter, wider curved blades that resemble the beaters used in an electric mixer.

Small, individual wind turbines can produce 100 kilowatts of power, enough to power a home. Small wind turbines are also used for places like water pumping stations. Slightly larger wind turbines sit on towers that are as tall as 80 meters (260 feet) and have rotor blades that extend approximately 40 meters (130 feet) long. These turbines can generate 1.8 megawatts of power. Even larger wind turbines can be found perched on towers that stand 240 meters (787 feet) tall have rotor blades more than 162 meters (531 feet) long. These large turbines can generate anywhere from 4.8 to 9.5 megawatts of power.

Once the electricity is generated, it can be used, connected to the electrical grid, or stored for future use. The United States Department of Energy is working with the National Laboratories to develop and improve technologies, such as batteries and pumped-storage hydropower so that they can be used to store excess wind energy. Companies like General Electric install batteries along with their wind turbines so that as the electricity is generated from wind energy, it can be stored right away.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, there are 57,000 wind turbines in the United States, both on land and offshore. Wind turbines can be standalone structures, or they can be clustered together in what is known as a wind farm . While one turbine can generate enough electricity to support the energy needs of a single home, a wind farm can generate far more electricity, enough to power thousands of homes. Wind farms are usually located on top of a mountain or in an otherwise windy place in order to take advantage of natural winds.

The largest offshore wind farm in the world is called the Walney Extension. This wind farm is located in the Irish Sea approximately 19 kilometers (11 miles) west of the northwest coast of England. The Walney Extension covers a massive area of 149 square kilometers (56 square miles), which makes the wind farm bigger than the city of San Francisco, California, or the island of Manhattan in New York. The grid of 87 wind turbines stands 195 meters (640 feet) tall, making these offshore wind turbines some of the largest wind turbines in the world. The Walney Extension has the potential to generate 659 megawatts of power, which is enough to supply 600,000 homes in the United Kingdom with electricity.

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Takeaways from California senate primary results: Schiff, Garvey win

Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and former baseball star and Republican Steve Garvey will face off in November after securing the most votes in the California Senate race on Super Tuesday − turning what was a bitter and hotly contested Senate race into an uncompetitive election.

But that doesn't mean it wasn't unusual. Voters will get the chance to fill the same seat: twice.

That’s because when Sen. Dianne Feinstein died in September last year , California Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed Laphonza Butler – a longtime Vice President Kamala Harris ally – to the seat until November. But that would leave two more months in that term to do the job, meaning there is a special election for someone to serve the remainder of Feinstein’s term. In addition, Golden State voters must decide who will carry the torch for the next full, six-year term beginning in January.

Both Super Tuesday ballot races featured three Democratic House lawmakers: Reps. Adam Schiff, Barbara Lee and Katie Porter. And one Republican; Garvey.

California’s primary is considered a “jungle primary,” which means ballots can be cast for any candidate regardless of party affiliation. 

Prep for the polls: See who is running for president and compare where they stand on key issues in our Voter Guide

Here are some of Super Tuesday’s takeaways from this contentious primary:

More: Super Tuesday live results: Nikki Haley defeats Donald Trump in Vermont's Republican primary

Schiff, backed by mainstream Democrats, beats back progressives

Schiff was long the perceived front-runner in the crowded race, having gained the coveted endorsement of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. early in the primary. 

He also got the backing of House Democratic Caucus Chair Rep. Pete Aguilar, the No. 3 ranking House Democrat.

Schiff’s victory is a significant boost for his campaign as the race heads into a general election. He built his reputation during former President Donald Trump’s administration, being one of the most vocal Democratic voices against the former president. Schiff served as the lead House impeachment manager in Trump’s first impeachment trial.  

And compared with his Democratic opponents, beyond just Pelosi and Aguilar, Schiff had the backing of the vast majority of California’s Democratic House delegation.

Steve Garvey, a late entrant to the race, prevails – thanks to Schiff

Garvey’s late entry into the primary significantly shook up the dynamics of the contest in October of last year when the race consisted of mainly high-profile Democrats.

The former baseball star who boasted widespread name recognition thanks to his time on the Los Angeles Dodgers can partly thank Schiff for his second-place finish. In a bid to knock out his Democratic opponents early, Schiff and his allies spent millions of dollars on ads boosting Garvey in the lead up to the primary.

Garvey was a first baseman for the Dodgers and 10-time All Star. He made a name for himself in politics fundraising for ALS research and testified on the Senate floor about the importance of finding a cure in 2000.

Garvey previously told USA TODAY he is focusing his campaign on quality-of-life issues, education, and public safety. He added that he voted for former Republican president Donald Trump twice.

More: When do we vote for president in 2024? Everything to know about next presidential election.

In deep-blue California, Schiff all-but secures Senate seat

Garvey advancing to the general election all but secures the race for Schiff. In liberal California, no Republican has won a California Senate election since 1988 when incumbent Pete Wilson won reelection for a second term.

The outcome will also be a massive relief for Senate Democrats who are staring down a brutal map this election cycle – of the 33 seats up for reelection, Democrats are defending 23 of them.

A Democratic-on-Democratic general election risked taking up valuable campaign resources that could instead go to more competitive states that will be critical in determining the Senate majority such as Montana, Ohio and Arizona. 

With Schiff as the remaining Democrat going into the general election, Democrats will have slightly better odds of holding on to the Senate majority.

California will not have a woman serving in the Senate

Schiff and Garvey's advancement to the general election means no matter the victor – likely to be Schiff – California will not have a woman serving in the Senate for the first time in over 30 years.

Both Feinstein and former Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., were elected to the Senate in 1992, an election cycle that earned the name "Year of the Woman."

Harris succeeded Boxer in 2017 after her retirement. When Harris left for the White House to serve as Biden's vice president, Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., was appointed to serve the remainder of Harris' term. He later won a full six-year term in 2022.

It was one of the most expensive senate races in recent California history

Heading into Super Tuesday, the competition to fill Feinstein’s seat was already one of the most expensive in California history.

As of mid-February, Schiff was far ahead of his competitors when it came to fundraising. 

As of Feb. 14, Schiff had raised close to $30 million in campaign contributions, nearly double the amount of the race’s next candidate. Porter had raised nearly $16.8 million, Lee had received about $4.8 million, and Garvey about $2.1 million, according to FEC filings in mid-February.

In contrast, Feinstein's final reelection campaign in 2018 totaled about $11.2 million in contributions and her challenger raised only $1.7 million for his campaign, according to FEC filings that year.

More: Proposition 1: California's mental health ballot measure, what it does and live results

We won’t know Butler’s replacement until November

No matter who voters pick to fill behind Butler, they have to vote again in the general election.

The separate ballot questions also mean one candidate could hold the job for two months, and another for the next six years.

And while it’s unusual, that means there will be two general election races on the November ballot – the special election to serve two-months and the regularly scheduled election for a full six-year term.

icon of a magnifying glass

What Are Trade Winds?

When you’re outside, you might notice that one day the wind blows one direction and the next day, wind is blowing a different direction. That’s a pretty common occurrence.

However, many winds on Earth are quite predictable. For example, high in the atmosphere, the jet streams typically blow across Earth from west to east. The trade winds are air currents closer to Earth’s surface that blow from east to west near the equator.

World map illustration with arrows representing trade winds.

The trade winds blow from east to west near the equator. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

The trade winds have been used by sailors for centuries. Sailors traveling from Europe or Africa used the trade winds to travel to North or South America. Just like airplanes can use the wind boost from the jet stream to shorten a journey flying east, sailors can use the trade winds to shorten a sea journey when sailing west.

Why do the trade winds blow from east to west?

The trade winds blow toward the west partly because of how Earth rotates on its axis. The trade winds begin as warm, moist air from the equator rises in the atmosphere and cooler air closer to the poles sinks.

Illustration of the Hadley cell phenomenon, caused by a cycle of warm, moist air rising near the equator that eventually cools and sinks a bit further north in the tropics.

The trade winds are created by a cycle of warm, moist air rising near the equator. The air eventually cools and sinks a bit further north in the tropics. This phenomenon is called the Hadley cell. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

So, if air is cycling from the equator to the poles, why don’t all winds blow north and south? That’s where Earth’s rotation changes things. Because Earth rotates as the air is moving, the winds in the Northern Hemisphere curve to the right and air in the Southern Hemisphere curves to the left.

This phenomenon is called the Coriolis Effect and it’s why the trade winds blow toward the west in both the Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere. The trade winds can be found about 30 degrees north and south of the equator. Right at the equator there is almost no wind at all—an area sometimes called the doldrums .

Illustration of Earth that calls out the area of almost no wind at the equator called the doldrums.

Earth's rotation causes the trade winds to curve clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere. The area of almost no wind at the equator is called the doldrums. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

How do the doldrums and trade winds affect our weather?

The Sun shines very directly at the equator, creating very intense heat. The heat warms the air and causes some ocean water to evaporate, meaning air in the doldrums becomes warm and moist. This warm, moist air rises in the atmosphere and cools, becoming clouds — and eventually rain and storms — in tropical regions. In the Atlantic Ocean, some of these storms become hurricanes, and the trade winds can steer hurricanes west toward the United States.

NOAA’s GOES-East satellite keeps an eye on how trade winds impact the movement of hurricanes and tropical storms toward the southeastern United States. In this video, GOES-East captured cumulus clouds east of the Caribbean Islands being carried west by the trade winds.

In January 2020, GOES-East captured this series of images showing trade winds moving cumulus clouds in the Caribbean. In this view, the ocean water is black, the low clouds are blue and lavender, and the higher clouds are yellow. Credit: NOAA/CIRA

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  • American English : whirlwind / ˈwɜrlwɪnd /
  • Brazilian Portuguese : redemoinho
  • Chinese : 旋风
  • European Spanish : torbellino
  • French : tornade
  • German : Wirbelwind
  • Italian : tromba d'aria
  • Japanese : つむじ風
  • Korean : 회오리바람
  • European Portuguese : redemoinho
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  • Thai : ลมบ้าหมู
  • Brazilian Portuguese : rápido
  • Chinese : 旋风般的
  • European Spanish : relámpago
  • French : éclair N
  • German : stürmisch
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Watch CBS News

Spanish tourist camping with her husband is gang raped in India; 3 arrested as police search for more suspects

Updated on: March 4, 2024 / 8:47 AM EST / CBS/AFP

Three Indian men have appeared in court after the gang rape of a Spanish tourist on a motorbike trip with her husband, with police hunting four other suspects, reports said Monday.

The attack took place on Friday night in eastern India in Jharkhand state's Dumka district, where the couple were camping.

A total of seven men are accused of carrying out the brutal assault.

"We have formed a team to hunt the remaining suspects," senior local police officer Pitamber Singh Kherwar told AFP.

On Sunday, three accused were seen being escorted into court with sacks on their heads by police officers holding ropes tied around their waists. The three were later remanded in custody.

INDIA-SPAIN-CRIME

The Spanish woman and her husband were also in court.

The couple  told Spanish TV channel Antena 3 on Saturday that the men raped the woman and hit the man repeatedly, the Reuters news agency reported.  They said they had camped out because they could not find hotels nearby, Reuters reported.

"We have to ensure strict punishment," Kherwar said, the Press Trust of India (PTI) news agency reported Monday.

Kherwar said a special team including forensic officers had been formed to scour the scene of the attack, while another team was hunting more suspects.

"They are constantly raiding places," Kherwar said in PTI's report. "We will soon arrest the remaining accused."

An average of nearly 90 rapes a day were reported in India in 2022, according to data from the National Crime Records Bureau.

That year, police arrested 11 people after the alleged brutal gang rape and torture of a young woman that included her being paraded through the streets of Dehli. Also in 2022, a police officer in India was arrested after being accused of raping a 13-year-old girl who went to his station to report she had been gang-raped.

In 2021, a 34-year-old woman in Mumbai died after being  raped and brutally tortured .

Large numbers of rapes go unreported due to prevailing stigmas around victims and a lack of faith in police investigations.

Convictions remain rare, with cases getting stuck for years in India's clogged-up criminal justice system.

The notorious gang rape and murder of an Indian student made global headlines in 2012 .

Jyoti Singh, a 23-year-old physiotherapy student, was raped, assaulted and left for dead by five men and a teenager on a bus in New Delhi in December that year.

The horrific crime shone an international spotlight on India's high levels of sexual violence and sparked weeks of protests, and eventually a change in the law to introduce the death penalty for rape .

More from CBS News

Prison escapees charged with murder after U.S. couple vanishes in Grenada

Dozens of Indian nationals duped into joining Russia's war against Ukraine

Rare red panda among 87 animals seized from smugglers at Thai airport

U.S. friends back on trial in fatal stabbing of Rome police officer

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  • weather bomb

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whirlwind | American Dictionary

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U.S. climate outlook for March 2024

Meteorological winter is now in the rearview mirror, and once again, winter was largely a big disappointment for cold and snow lovers across most of the United States. Despite the first measurable snowfall in the large cities of the Northeast in about 2 years, winter snow totals in that region were again well below average, and temperatures across the country averaged above normal from coast to coast, likely resulting in the warmest winter in the historical record for the country. (NOAA will release the national climate summary for February and the 2023-24 winter this Friday, March 8). Cold and snowy weather can still occur during March, so let’s see what NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center (CPC) predicts for the upcoming month. Will the mild weather continue or will Mother Nature finally deliver some cold and snow to the country?

U.S. map showing March 2024 temperature outlook probabilities

The temperature outlook for March 2024, showing where the average temperature is favored to be much warmer than average (orange and red), near average (gray), or much cooler than average (blues). Darker colors mean higher chances, not more extreme temperatures. White areas mean that there are equal chances for a warm, cool, or near-average March. Much warmer or much cooler than average  means "in the upper or lower third" of March temperatures from 1991-2020. For more details on how to interpret these maps, read our explainer  Understanding NOAA's monthly climate outlooks.

On February 29, CPC released its updated monthly climate outlooks for temperature, precipitation, and drought across the United States for March 2024. The temperature outlook favors well above normal temperatures across much of the central and eastern parts of the nation, with well below average temperatures favored in California and parts of the Southwest. The precipitation outlook favors well above average precipitation (rain and/or snow) across large parts of the western, central, and eastern parts of the country, with well below average precipitation only favored in small parts of the Upper Midwest and Southern Plains.

U.S. map of precipitation outlook chances for March 2024

The precipitation outlook for March 2024, showing where the average precipitation (rain and snow) is favored to be much higher than average (greens), near average (gray), or much lower than average (browns). Darker colors mean higher chances, not more extreme precipitation departures. White areas mean that there are equal chances for a wet, dry, or near-average March. Much higher  or much lower than average  means "in the upper or lower third" of March precipitation amounts from 1991-2020. For more details on how to interpret these maps, read our explainer  Understanding NOAA's monthly climate outlooks.

Below, I’ll provide more detail about the outlooks and discuss the basis for them. I’ll also examine the current state of drought, how it changed during the prior month and winter, and how CPC expects drought to change during March. Also, remember that the colors on the temperature and precipitation outlook maps only provide information about the most likely outcome, but other outcomes are still possible, although less likely to occur. More details about interpreting the outlooks can be found here .

The updated outlooks were produced considering the Week 1 forecast from the Weather Prediction Center (WPC), and CPC’s own Week 2 and Week 3-4 outlooks. Other tools that forecasters examined this month were longer-range forecast models such as the Global Ensemble Forecast System (GEFS), the Climate Forecast System (CFSv2), and products derived from these models.

El Niño began to weaken during February across the tropical Pacific as expected, but despite weakening, it was still categorized as strong, with impacts to the global climate likely continuing for the next few months. Therefore, it was again considered as the dominant teleconnection for the March outlooks. The Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO)—a conjoined area of heavy rains and clear, calm skies that travel the tropics together as a couplet—remained active, with its heavy rains located over the Indian Ocean at the end of February. Since computer models are in good agreement for it to strengthen and propagate eastward across the Maritime continent during the first half of March, MJO impacts also played a role in the March Outlooks.

Temperature outlook

The March temperature outlook favors well above average temperatures on a line from central Montana southeastward through eastern Texas and all locations eastward. In contrast, well below average temperatures are favored in California and parts of the Southwest. The highest odds for a warmer-than-average March reside in the Northeast, where probabilities exceed 70%. Maximum probabilities for below-average out West are more modest, topping out at less than 50%.

Well above average temperatures are strongly favored in the eastern half of the nation during the first two weeks of the month. Confidence is quite high in the Northeast, as the location of the MJO will favor ridging (jet stream shifted north of its normal position) over eastern North America during the first 2 weeks of the month, which agrees quite well with short-, medium-, and longer-range model forecasts. Although probabilities for warmth are lower, CPC’s week 3-4 temperature outlook also favors above-average temperatures during the end of March for the northeastern quarter of the country. With odds also favoring above-average temperatures in all CPC outlooks, probabilities exceed 50% in the Midwest, Ohio Valley and mid-Atlantic states.

Odds for below-average temperatures encompass much of the Southwest and California. Predicted troughing (jet stream shifted south of its normal position) during the first 2 weeks of the month (also consistent with MJO guidance) should result in a colder-than-normal first half of the month. However, the longer-range outlook has more uncertainty, so averaged over the month, forecasters give the outlook fairly low odds.

Precipitation outlook

Well above average precipitation is favored across large parts of the nation during March, in areas stretching from the West Coast eastward to the central Great Plains and from the Gulf Coast extending up the Eastern Seaboard to southern New England. Probabilities for a wet March are highest across central and northern California, across Nevada and Utah into Colorado, and in much of the Southeast (exceeding 50%). El Niño background conditions and the MJO both favor above-normal precipitation in these areas, as do current computer model forecasts for both the short (Week-1) and medium (Week-2) range. The week 3-4 precipitation outlook also favors above-average precipitation along the entire East Coast and in parts of the West.

Well below average precipitation is only favored in small parts of the Great Lakes region and in western and central Texas. However, the probability for dryness in both areas is less than 50% due to “mixed signals” for precipitation between the first and second halves of the month. For the first half of March, CPC’s 6-10-day and Week-2 outlooks tilt toward normal or even above-average precipitation across much of the country, including these regions. The first week of March appears quite dry in Texas, while the week 3-4 precipitation outlook tilts toward below-average in the western Great Lakes region.

Drought Monitor

Drought across the continuous United States decreased from about 23.5% at the end of January to close to 20% by the end of February, with around a 15% improvement in drought coverage during the winter overall. Additionally, the percent of the country in the two most intense categories (D3-D4, representing extreme and exceptional drought) decreased from around 2.5% to about 1.5% during February, with an overall improvement from 7.5% in early December. The current amount of extreme or exceptional drought is the lowest amount since June 2020.

Map of contiguous United States showing drought conditions in late February

Drought conditions across the contiguous United States as of February 27, 2024. Only a few parts of the country were still experiencing extreme (red) or exceptional (dark red) drought. NOAA Climate.gov map, based on data from the U.S. Drought Monitor Project. For more on drought, visit Drought.gov. 

Precipitation during the winter was generally above average in the Pacific Northwest, in the Southwest, along the Gulf Coast, and in the mid-Atlantic, all resulting in drought improvement. The most significant drought improvement occurred in the lower Mississippi Valley, where improvements of up to 5 classes (and complete drought removal) was recorded. Drought removal was also observed in parts of the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic, with 3-4 class improvement common. Improvement of 2-3 classes and drought removal was also observed in the Pacific Northwest, while smaller improvement of 1-2 classes was recorded in the Southwest. In contrast, a drier-than-normal winter in the Northern Plains and around the Great Lakes resulted in drought degradation (up to 3 classes in the Plains). 

Drought Outlook

Although much of the nation is favored to have a wetter-than-average March, the monthly drought outlook predicts drought to persist across many of the areas of the nation currently in drought. Drought improvement or removal is only predicted in the Central Plains and Tennessee Valley, but drought persistence and even development is forecast across parts of the Southwest and Texas, in the Northern Rockies and northern Great Plains, and around the Great Lakes, all regions not favored to experience a wet March.

U.S. map showing the drought forecast for March 2024

The drought outlook for March 2024 shows that more area is expected to see drought develop (yellow), persist, or worsen (brown) than is expected to see drought improve (tan) or end (green). NOAA Climate.gov map based on data from the Climate Prediction Center. 

Improvement in the Central Plains and Tennessee Valley is consistent with forecasts for above-normal precipitation during all time scales relevant to the monthly outlook. In contrast, drought conditions extending from the Northern Rockies eastward to the Great Lakes are expected to persist with some drought development likely in Montana, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan as snowpack is well below normal and soils have prematurely thawed due to the well above normal temperatures observed during February. The outlook during March favors below-normal precipitation is some of this region and equal chances (no tilt in the odds towards any category) for the remainder. Drought persistence and development is also likely in the Southwest and parts of Texas, as outlooks favor either equal chances or below-normal precipitation. Periods of strong winds and above-average temperatures are also possible, keeping evapotranspiration rates high for this time of year and also keeping the potential for significant wild fires above average.

To read the entire discussion of the monthly climate outlooks from the Climate Prediction Center, check out their  website.

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'Consumption boom': Domestic travel surges in China during Lunar New Year

China experienced an estimated 474 million domestic travel trips during the Lunar New Year.

China experienced an estimated 474 million domestic travel trips during the Lunar New Year. Image:  Unsplash/Jimmy Woo

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world wind trip meaning

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  • China experienced a sharp increase in domestic tourism during the recent Lunar New Year.
  • The level of travel and spending surpassed pre-pandemic figures, according to government data.
  • Economists, however, note that the surge in consumption does not necessarily indicate an economic revival.

People across China celebrated big during the Lunar New Year last month, with holiday travel and consumer spending surpassing pre-pandemic levels, according to government figures.

During the eight-day festival in mid-February, China experienced an estimated 474 million domestic travel trips, the country's Ministry of Culture and Tourism reported. The number of trips marked an over 34% increase from the year prior and a 19% jump from 2019.

“During this past Chinese New Year, domestic and international travel for Chinese tourists grew significantly,” Trip.com Group, the travel service conglomerate, said in a statement. “Domestically, the popularity of ice and snow travel in the north, and hot spring and island travel in the south led to a surge in interprovincial trips.”

People also spent heavily as they gathered to celebrate the Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival. According to government figures, domestic tourists spent over 632 billion yuan (roughly $88 billion), an increase of 7.7% compared to holiday spending in 2019 and a 47.3% year-over-year hike.

Chinese tourists today are willing to spend more to enhance their travel experience.

“China's Spring Festival holiday has ignited a new round of consumption boom,” China’s state-run Xinhua news agency stated . “After a lapse of four years, the Chinese Spring Festival once again became the peak of global travel consumption.”

Lunar New Year decorations at the Beijing airport in February 2024.

Economic revival?

Consumer spending and domestic travel during the annual Lunar New Year is seen as an indicator of economic trends in China. Economists warn, however, that this year’s high level of consumption does not necessarily indicate an economic revival .

“Recent figures indicate that China’s consumption has finally picked up, but they are not strong enough to warrant an economic recovery led by the private sector this year,” said Seisaku Kameda, the Executive Economist at the Sompo Institute Plus, the internal think tank of the Sompo Group.

This year’s surge in domestic travel and spending comes as China continues to grapple with sluggish growth and an uneven economic recovery from the pandemic. “Consumer sentiment is mildly recovering,” Kameda added. “We, however, should not overestimate these developments.”

In January, the World Economic Forum’s Chief Economists Outlook found that China was an exception to the buoyant economic activity expected across Asia, with a “previous combination of strong and moderate growth expectations being replaced with largely moderate (69%) expectations for 2024.”

New spending patterns

In its report, China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism added that a record 163 million people spent over 8 billion yuan ($1.1 billion) at cinemas across the country during the Lunar New Year. The movie-going figures marked an over 18% and 26% increase, respectively, compared to the year prior.

Moreover, roughly 16,300 commercial performances were held during the festival week, an over 50% increase from 2023.

“Consumption for Chinese tourists, both domestically and abroad, has also increased, but new spending patterns have arisen,” Trip.com Group added in its statement. “Chinese tourists today are willing to spend more to enhance their travel experience, whether it’s visiting unique attractions or enjoying highly customised service.”

Trip.com Group also noted a recent surge in interest in traditional Chinese cultural events such as lantern festivals and dragon dance performances and a sharp increase in customised travel orders.

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  29. Domestic travel surges in China during Lunar New Year

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