Meteorological Basis for Aruba Winds

ARUBA: At high latitudes the winds are generally easterly near the ground. In low, tropical, and equatorial latitudes, the northeasterly trade winds north of the intertropical convergence zone (ICZ), or thermal equator, and the southeasterly trade winds south of the ICZ move toward the ICZ, which migrates north and south with the seasonal position of the Sun. Vertically, winds then rise and create towering cumulonimbus clouds and heavy rain on either side of the ICZ, which marks a narrow belt of near calms known as the doldrums. The winds then move poleward near the top of the troposphere before sinking again in the subtropical belts in each hemisphere. From here, winds again move toward the Equator as trade winds. These gigantic cells with overturning air in each of the hemispheres in low latitudes are known as the Hadley cells. In the mid-latitudes, oppositely rotating wind systems called Ferrel cells carry surface air poleward and upper tropospheric air toward the Hadley cells. The three-dimensional pattern of winds over the Earth, known as general circulation, is responsible for the fundamental latitudinal structure of pressure and air movement and, hence, of climates.

Near the equator is a low-pressure belt, known as the doldrums, that lies roughly between latitudes 10 South and 10 North. Within this belt, sometimes called the equatorial belt of calms, the air is hot and sultry. At about 30 from the equator in both hemispheres are the horse latitudes, which are high-pressure belts of calms, or light variable winds. Surface air, moving from the horse latitudes toward the low-pressure equatorial belt, constitutes the trade winds, which are the prevailing winds of the lower latitudes. In the northern hemisphere, the northerly wind blowing toward the equator is deflected by the rotation of the earth to become northeasterly and is known as the northeast trade wind. In the southern hemisphere, the southerly wind, which is similarly deflected, becomes southeasterly and is known as the southeast trade wind.

THE TRADE WIND BELTS. These are the predominant wind belts of the tropics. The winds are very uniform in direction and speed. In the Northern Hemisphere the winds are northeasterly, while in the Southern Hemisphere they are southeasterly. Wind speeds average 10 to 16 knots, but they are strongest and most steady in the center of these belts.

Don't forget the CONSTANT WINDS at Aruba. Given its location the winds blow at a constant rate from the horse latitudes to the tropics at a speed up to 20 knots always from the same direction. Although this makes for good wind surfing conditions, you get a constant sand blasting on the beach. This is also why all the trees on the island (what few there are on a desert) permanently lean over in the same direction.

Aruba has become a tourist trap.) I'm not trying to start an argument about Aruba vs St Martins, but reserving chairs at the crack of dawn 5:30 am on Palm Beach is disgusting (not fun), their are to many US based franchises (KFC, Pizza Hut, McDoanlds, Subway, etc, etc, etc.) and the most importantly the outrageous air and hotel prices. People don't want to get a second mortgage on their home to stay at a 5 star resort ie. Radisson or Hyatt) for a week or two