trade winds Old maritime term, much used in meteorology, indicating the steadiness of direction of the prevailing tropical easterly winds, which blow from subtropical high-pressure areas in latitudes 30–40° north and south, generally north-easterly in the northern hemisphere and south-easterly in the southern hemisphere. They are most nearly constant in latitudes centred on 15° north and south. Climatic conditions associated with the belt vary from fine anticyclonic weather in the poleward and eastern margins, caused by subsidence, to stormier conditions near the equator and western margins, caused by less stable, deeper, moist air.

trade winds An old maritime term, much used in meteorology to describe the prevailing tropical easterly winds, which blow in a steady direction from subtropical high-pressure areas in latitudes 30–40°N and S, generally north-easterly in the northern hemisphere and south-easterly in the southern hemisphere. They are most nearly constant in latitudes centred on 15°N and S. Climatic conditions associated with the belt vary from fine anticyclonic weather in the poleward and eastern margins, caused by subsidence, to stormier conditions near the equator and western margins, caused by less stable, deeper, moist air.

trade wind / wind/ • n. a wind blowing steadily toward the equator from the northeast in the northern hemisphere or the southeast in the southern hemisphere, esp. at sea. Two belts of trade winds encircle the earth, blowing from the tropical high-pressure belts to the low-pressure zone at the equator.

trade winds Steady wind that blows westwards towards the Equator from subtropical high pressure zones between latitudes 30° and 40° n and s.