Which Way does the Wind Blow?
NAME_____________________
Go to:
http://www.classzone.com/books/earth_science/terc/content/investigations/es1806/es1806pa
ge01.cfm?chapter_no=investigation
Read and answer the following questions:
1. Make a prediction: Which way do you think the wind blows over Oahu? _______________
(Remember: Wind direction is always described with the direction from which it blows. For
example, a wind blowing from west to east is called a west wind.)
2. What evidence did you use to make your prediction?_________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Describe the pattern of vegetation you see on Oahu.
In which areas are plants concentrated? __________________________________________________
Which areas are bare or have little vegetation?_____________________________________________
Click next. Read and explore the 3-D model of Oahu. Click next.
Watch the animation and click the shuttle image to compare. Answer the following:
4. Describe what happens to moist air as it moves up the slope of a mountain, crosses the
summit, and moves back down the leeward slope.___________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
5. How would vegetation patterns reflect the rainfall amounts on each side of a mountain
where wind usually blows in one direction? ___________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
6. What does the vegetation pattern on Oahu suggest about the wind direction?______________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Click next. Examine the rainfall map and its key. Answer the following:
7. What are the three places with the highest annual precipitation levels, and where are they
located on the island? ______________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
8. What are the three places with the lowest annual precipitation levels, and where are they
located on the island? ______________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
9. Describe at least one way you could check if your predicted wind direction is correct. _______
____________________________________________________________________________________________
10. If a weather report for Oahu indicated a storm with winds from the south, would this refute
the evidence you gathered about wind direction? ____________Why or why not?_______________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Click next. Read the text and move your cursor over the image to find the wind shadow on the
image. Click next. Examine the map of California. Be sure to click the buttons to the right.
11. Drawing on what you learned from the case of Oahu, in what direction do you predict the
wind blows over California? _________________Describe the evidence you used to make your
prediction.__________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________