What are local winds?

Local winds are one of the main types of winds caused by differences in air temperature. The temperature differences often develop through the day as the sun heats the air and land, but they can also be formed when surfaces do not heat or cool evenly.

Certain land formations are more likely to cause strong local winds to form on a regular basis. For example, water breezes are common as a result of water heating up and cooling down more slowly than the land beside it. Another land formation of interest are large slopes, which can cause wind to return to its original direction.