- published: 01 Jun 2011
- views: 185905
The trade winds (also called trades) are the prevailing pattern of easterly surface winds found in the tropics, within the lower portion of the Earth's atmosphere, in the lower section of the troposphere near the Earth's equator. The trade winds blow predominantly from the northeast in the Northern Hemisphere and from the southeast in the Southern Hemisphere, strengthening during the winter and when the Arctic oscillation is in its warm phase. Historically, the trade winds have been used by captains of sailing ships to cross the world's oceans for centuries, and enabled European empire expansion into the Americas and trade routes to become established across the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
In meteorology, the trade winds act as the steering flow for tropical storms that form over the Atlantic, Pacific, and southern Indian Oceans and make landfall in North America, Southeast Asia, and Madagascar and eastern Africa, respectively. Trade winds also steer African dust westward across the Atlantic ocean into the Caribbean sea, as well as portions of southeastern North America. Shallow cumulus clouds are seen within trade wind regimes, and are capped from becoming taller by a trade wind inversion, which is caused by descending air aloft from within the subtropical ridge. The weaker the trade winds become, the more rainfall can be expected within neighboring landmasses.
Here I stand looking, looking around me
While all around me, what do I see?
Unhappy faces behind a painted smile
Heartache and loneliness dressed up in modern style
Unhappy people living in sin and shame
Reflections of myself, life is no easy game
We're caught in the trade winds
The trade winds of our time
Here I stand looking, looking around me
While all around me, what do I see?
(Young girls who'll soon become)
Young girls who'll soon become
(Walkers on the avenue)
Streetwalkers in the night
(Young boys of the neighborhood)
Young boys, the restless breed
(Tell me what they're gonna do)
Looking for a fight
(Children who are rich and poor)
Children both rich and poor
They're searching for the truth
If they don't find it
God help tomorrow's youth
We're caught in the trade winds
The trade winds of our time
Aah, the trade, aah, the trade winds
Trade winds of our time
Trade winds are blowing, blowing around me
While all around me, what do I see?
(Hatred, yes and jealously)
Hatred and jealousy
(Brotherhood is dying up)
Brotherhood is dying
(Love is what we really need)
Love is the answer
But nobody's buying
Good people turning bad
Some don't but they are few
The winds are blowing
The choice is all up to you
We're caught in the trade winds
The trade winds of our time
Yes, we're caught up in the trade winds
The trade winds of our time
We are riding on the trade winds
The trade winds of our time
We are riding on the trade winds