ICSE Class 9 Answered

The main characteristics of the Trade Winds are:

• The Trade Winds blow in the tropics between the sub tropical high pressure belt to the equatorial low pressure belt between 30⁰N and 30⁰S.

   

• Trade winds are warm winds and hence they pick up moisture and bring heavy rainfall on the eastern sides of the tropical islands.

   

• They are deflected to the right of their course in the Northern Hemisphere and to the south in the Southern Hemisphere. Thus in the Northern Hemisphere, they become North Trades and in the Southern Hemisphere, they are called South east Trades.

   

• Trade winds blow at a constant speed and are regular.

   

• They are associated with constant depressions and cyclones.

   

• The Trade Winds are also known as the permanent or the constant winds. The only exception is that they are replaced by the Monsoon winds in the Indian and the Pacific Ocean.