TERTIARY CIRCULATION SYSTEM OR LOCAL WINDS OR

MICRO CIRCULATION SYSTEM

1. Land Breeze & Sea Breeze - These winds are defined as the complete
cycle of diurnal (day & night) Local winds occurring on sea coast due to
difference in surface temperature of land and sea.

Land Breeze – There is a complete diurnal reversal of wind direction of

these coastal winds. During day time, land is heated more than the adjacent
water bodies. As a result, warm air over the land expands producing an area
of low pressure which results into the rushing of cooler air from the adjacent
water body known as the sea breeze but at a certain height from the earth’s
surface the movement of air directed from coastal land to the sea. Thus, a
conventional circulation system is set up.

Sea Breeze – During night, because of nocturnal radiation land is colder

than the adjacent sea and the pressure gradient is directed from land to sea
and thus there is a gentle flow of air from land towards sea. This land breeze
is very shallow as average depth of this wind system varies from 1000 -
2000 m in tropical region. The horizontal and vertical extent of land breeze
is less than the sea breeze. Since the temperature contrast during night is
relatively less than the day time: the land breeze is not as strong as sea -
breeze. Sea breeze modified the temperature of coastal area because of them
the coastal region records a drop of 5-100 C in their temperature. According
to TREWARTHA, the cooling effect of these breezes, reaches the maximum
distance of 15-60km in land in middle latitudes and 50-60km in the tropical
regions. Sea breeze usually begins a little before noon (b/w 10-11am and
reaches its man intensity in mid-afternoon with velocity ranging from 10-
20km height.
2. Valley and Mountain Breeze - The day time up-valley winds (valley
breeze) and the night time down - valley winds are commonly found in
mountainous region.

Valley Breeze - during the day time, the slopes of mountain heat up rapidly
because of the intense insolation but the atmosphere over the valley is not
heated to the same extent. This results in warm air moving up along the
slope. This up-slope breeze is called the valley breeze. Anabatic winds in
another name of valley breeze. The valley breeze is sometimes accompanied
by the formation of cumulous clouds near mountain peaks.

Mountain breeze - At the night the temp. Difference b/w the mountain
slopes and valley surface is reversed. Nocturnal radiation brings about a
more rapid it cooling of mountain slopes as a result of which q cold air mass
is formed over the summit a slope which drains into the valley. These are
called katabatic winds. These down slope breeze pushes warm air mass
above and settle down at the valley floor causing temperature inversion. In
Himalayan ranges this is a common phenomenon’s.
 WARM LOCAL WINDS

Local winds the ADVECTION WINDS that are warm or hot and of hot air
from a warm caused by source region.

1. Foehn (Katabatic winds) - These are the warm and dry winds on the
leeward side of the mountain range. Its high temperature is largely due to
adiabatic heating when it descents down the mountain slope. These warm &
dry winds are common on the North sides of Alps in Switzerland. On the
windward side the ascending air current cools at the moist adiabatic note
i.e. 6°C/1000m. But the same air while descending on the leeward side of
the mountain nag range is heated at day adiabatic rate i.e. 10°c / 1000m
these downslope winds are warmer and drier than the air of that area. In
winters and early spring rapid melting of snow is caused by such warm and
dry winds no they are aka SHOWEATER and are helpful in spring farming
(in steppes grassland of Switzerland)

2. Chinook: These are like Foehn winds that are warm & dry in nature on
the Eastern slopes of the rocky mountains these winds are called Chinook.
They are more common in winters and early spring. Although the actual
emp. of these winds is only about 4.40c during the cold season but the
affected area has below freezing temperature In the West part of Prairies of
USA & the Chinook proves beneficial as they help in winters & early spring
farming.

3. Santa Ana & Zonda – Santa Ana are the warm & dry local winds that
occur in Southern California resembles Chinook as it occurs when cold air
accumulates in the great basin and start overflowing through the mountain
valleys and spread out on low - lands. These winds are so warm & day that
they (wine making) pose a great danger to Californian Orchards. Such winds
blowing down in the Andean valley to the plains of Argentina in S. America
are known as ZONDA.

4. Sirocco - These are hot, dry and dusty winds blowing over Sahara desert
and central Med and southern Italy. When SIROCCO reaches S. France &
Italy it becomes warm it humid as it picks moisture from the Mediterranean
Sea and cause BLOODY RAINFALL (red in colour) due to the sand it picked
up from the Sahara Desert. These kinds of hot dry& dusty wind in
AUSTRALIA are known BRICK FIELDER.
5. Khamsin - These types of hot dry & dusty winds are known Khamsin in
Egypt.

6. Harmattan - These are day and dusty winds off the Westen Coast of
Africa - blowing from the deserts. These day and dusty winds blowing -
towards GUINEA (basically humid climate) where the air is hot & humid,
provide some relief to the inhabitants of the affected area. These are aka
DOCTOR WINDS in the coastal area of West Africa. In Iraq & Iran (Persia &
Mesopotamia respectively) these winds are called SHAMAL. In USA these
winds are called as BLACK ROLLER (great plains of USA).

COLD LOCAL WINDS

1. Mistral - These are cold North Westerly winds that blows into the
Western Mediterranean Basin from high elevation to the North. These winds
are of common occurrence during winter months and are extremely cold &
dry passing through the RHONE Valley in South France.

2. Bora - In the region of E. shore of Adriatic Sea a cold & dry N. Easterly
wind blowing from the DINERAC ALPS called Bora. These winds blow with
great velocity ranging b/w 120 - 150 and cause sub- freezing temperature
during winters.

3. Blizzard - These are violent and extremely cold winds laden with dry
show picked up from the ground. They blow in Great Plains of Canada. They
are known as Buran in Central Siberia & Purga in Tundra region of Russia.