What makes the wind blow?

Wind tugs at your kite, flaps the flags, and tickles your hair. But have you ever wondered what makes the wind blow? After all, you can’t even see it!

Wind is moving air

The first secret is that wind is simply air on the move. The whole world is wrapped in a blanket of air, and when that air rushes from one place to another, we feel it as wind. The faster it moves, the stronger the wind.

The Sun gets things going

So what gets the air moving? The answer is the Sun! The Sun warms our planet, but not evenly — it heats some spots more than others.

Where the air gets warm, it becomes light and puffy and floats up, like a hot-air balloon. That leaves an empty gap below. Nearby cooler air, which is heavier, comes rushing in to fill the gap.

That rushing air is wind

That rushing, swooping air is exactly what we call wind! Warm air rising, cool air sweeping in to take its place — over and over, all around the world.

When the difference between warm and cool air is big, the air rushes faster and the wind grows strong. When it is small, you get just a gentle breeze.

Wonder fact: The fastest wind ever measured raced along at over 400 kilometres an hour — quicker than a zooming race car!