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When a storm is approaching from the North or Northwest, why do we have strong winds from the South? It looks like it would blow the storm away!
David L.
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Excellent question David and what a great observer you are. If you are a weather enthusiast, check out a flag or a wind sock and watch this happen with your own eyes, it's awesome!
What you are explaining is what happens with a cold front. Often times with a front we can have storms along it, but ahead of the front it can be warm and windy with those winds coming out of the south. The winds are out of the south because they are ahead of an area of low pressure. Check out the link on the right to a diagram of what a typical frontal system would look like.
You'll see a big red "L" for the low pressure and some fronts. Wind around the area of low pressure moves counter clockwise so ahead of the front, the wind is out of the south or southwest. Once the front (that has some rain with it in our example) moves through, the winds will shift to the north, northwest or west.
After the front goes through and brings the storms with it, the wind will stay out of the north or west for awhile and it usually gets colder or just drier with some fronts.
Answered by KSL Meteorologist Dina Freedman.
