What Causes The Winds: Pressure Gradient
El Paso, Texas ( KVIA)-The windy season is upon us and with the recent high wind events across the borderland there is no time like the present to discuss pressure gradient and winds. We have had a string of ABC-7 First Alert days warning everyone about the dangerous winds, the strongest winds recorded so far at the El Paso Airport have been 71 mph.
Meteorologist Jason Laney with the National Weather Service El Paso has been tracking the windy weather and explains that the NWS meteorologists and forecasters researched and found that we've experienced twenty high wind events during the months of January and February over the last fifteen years. He said, "they've all been following the La Niña Winter."
La Niña is a climate pattern that occurs in the Pacific Ocean every few years and can impact weather around the world. Laney said," La Niña might have something to do with all of the winds we've been having". He said La Nina will go away so there's a possibility for the Borderland to experience the winter season next year. Until then the wind is here to stay!
So, what exactly is pressure gradient? The National Weather Service defines pressure gradient as a force that tries to equalize pressure differences. The force that causes the high pressure to push air toward low pressure. This means air flows from high to low pressure if the pressure gradient force was the only force acting on it. Simply put the pressure gradient is a change in pressure along some path.
Spring is a few weeks away which means more windy days in the borderland. Stick with the ABC-7 Strack Weather team for the latest updates on weather conditions, and download the KVIA Weather and Traffic app.
Pressure Gradient Tool - NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center
Pressure Gradients (weather.gov)
