Upper Wind Currents over the Equator in the Atlantic Ocean

Abstract

IN January last I addressed you a letter from the Straits of Magellan, with an account of the upper wind currents observed over the equator during a voyage to South America in the month of December. Then I described how the north-east and south-east trades both turned into a common light surface easterly current along the line of the doldrums; how low clouds from south-east drove over the north-east trade up to 15° N.; how the highest clouds moved from south-west, north of the equator; and how, from 300 miles south of the line, a very high current from north-west prevailed over the south-east trade. No high observations were obtained in that belt of 300 miles, nor were any middle-level clouds seen over the south-east trade.