what causes local winds ?
objective
describe patterns of local winds
key term
monsoon : wind that changes direction with the reasons
12 modern windmills do not look much like the windmills used to pump water on farms. Some of the newer windmills look more like airplane propellers or eggbeaters. Instead of wood , they are made of new , lightweight materials.
Thinking Critically Why are fields with many windmills called wind farm ?
11 In some places , large windmill farms provide power for electric generators. Windmill farms may include hundreds or even thousands of windmills. Over 6000 wind generators located at Altamont pass , east of sun francisco , california , are already in operation and producing electricity. One of the largest windmills was in Medicine Bow , Wyoming. This one windmill provided enough electricity for 1200 homes. It was torn down in 2002
10 For years , farmers have used windmills to pump water. Today , many communities are using the wind to produce electricity. Modern materials and engineering could combine to make wind energy an important source of power for the future. Wind energy is a promising source of power becauce the wind is free and no pullution is produced. However , the speed and direction of the winds are unpredictable.
9 Building Reading skills
Vocabulary Mistral , foehn (FUHN) , and chinook are the names of three local winds. Use a dictionary or other references to look up each of these winds. Write a brief description of each wind on a sheet of paper. Where does each wind occur ?
8 Thinking critically
6. Analyze : during part of the year , monsoons bring heavy rains and warm temperatures to many countries. Do these rainy seasons occur in the summer or winter ? Explain
7 model : draw and lable a diagram of a mountain breeze. Use Figure 11-25 to help you.