Describe the forces that cause the movement of air through the Hadley cell, and discuss how the properties of the cell account for the weather at the ITCZ and subtropical high regions, and also the formation of the trade winds

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Answer: Along the equator, strong solar heating causes air to expand upward and diverge toward the poles. This creates a zone of low pressure at the equator called the equatorial low, or the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ). The upward motions that dominate the region favor the formation of heavy rain showers, particularly in the afternoon. Heavy precipitation associated with the ITCZ is observable on weather maps and satellite images. In the Northern Hemisphere, as the pressure gradient force directs surface air from the subtropical highs to the ITCZ, the weak Coriolis force deflects the air slightly to the right to form the northeast trade winds (or simply the northeast trades). In the Southern Hemisphere, the northward-moving air from the subtropical high is deflected to the left to create the southeast trade winds.