WIND
What is wind?
Wind is moving air. You cannot see the wind, but you can feel it blowing against you.
You can hear the wind and see it blowing leaves and flags.
Against the wind
It is hard to walk in a strong wind. The wing pushes against you.
The wind also makes you feel cold, even on a sunny day.
Breezes
A gentle wind is called a breeze. A breeze makes tree leaves rustle.
You can feel a breeze blowing gently on your skin. It makes soap bubbles float away.
Gale force
There are strong winds in a gale. They can make large waves and push you over as you walk.
Gale winds can break the branches of trees and blow down old trees.
Hurricanes
The strongest wind is called a hurricane. It can blow down walls and turn over cars.
A very strong hurricane can even blow down houses.
Wind direction
A weather vane shows which way the wind is blowing.
So does a windsock at an airport. A wind blowing from the north is called a north wind.
Blowing seeds
A dandelion seed has a fluffy top. The fluffy top helps the seed to float on the wind.
Sycamore seeds have little wings. The wings turn in the wind.
Windfall
The wind blows ripe fruit hanging in the trees to the ground.
These are called windfalls.
Windfalls of nuts and berries from trees are picked up by birds and squirrels.
Drying wind
Winds pick up water as they blow. These clothes are drying in the wind.
After it rains, wind and sun together dry the fields.
Flying in the wind
You can fly a kite on a windy day. Some birds use the wind to lift them high in the sky.
A seagull can fly without moving its wings when it is lifted by the wind.
Moved by wind
Yachts and other boat with sails are pushed along by winds. Balloons are blown in the air by winds.
These sand yachts are pushed along the beach by the wind.
Windmills
The wind can push round the arms of a windmill. Windmills are used to grind corn.
Now we use special windmills to make electricity. There are called wind turbines.
Wind action
These hills of sand are called sand dunes. They were shaped by the wind.
Some hard rocks, like these in the United States, have also been shaped by the wind.
