Роаринг (Roaring Forties Blue)

The Roaring Forties in the Cook Strait of New Zealand produce high waves, and they erode the shore as shown in this image.

The Roaring Forties are strong westerly winds found in the Southern Hemisphere, generally between the latitudes of 40 and 50 degrees. The strong west-to-east air currents are caused by the combination of air being displaced from the Equator towards the South Pole, the Earth’s rotation, and the scarcity of landmasses to serve as windbreaks.

The Roaring Forties were a major aid to ships sailing the Brouwer Route from Europe to the East Indies or Australasia during the Age of Sail, and in modern usage are favoured by yachtsmen on round-the-world voyages and competitions. The boundaries of the Roaring Forties are not consistent, and shift north or south depending on the season. Similar but stronger conditions occurring in more southerly latitudes are referred to as the Furious Fifties and the Shrieking or Screaming Sixties.

Sailors call the latitudes between degrees south of the equator the Roaring Forties

A research vessel braves the strong westerly winds of the Roaring Forties during an expedition to measure levels of dissolved carbon dioxide in the surface of the ocean.

During the Age of Sail (circa 15th  to 19th centuries), these strong prevailing winds propelled ships across the Pacific, often at breakneck speed. Nevertheless, sailing west into heavy seas and strong headwinds could take weeks, especially around Cape Horn at the southern tip of South America, making it one of the most treacherous sailing passages in the world.

The Roaring Forties take shape as warm air near the equator rises and moves toward the poles. Warm air moving poleward (on both sides of the equator) is the result of nature trying to reduce the temperature difference between the equator and at the poles created by uneven heating from the sun.

This process sets up global circulation cells, which are mainly responsible for global-scale wind patterns. The air descends back to Earth’s surface at about 30 degrees’ latitude north and south of the equator. This is known as the high-pressure subtropical ridge, also known as the horse latitudes. Here, as the temperature gradient decreases, air is deflected toward the poles by the Earth’s rotation, causing strong westerly and prevailing winds at approximately 40 degrees. These winds are the Roaring Forties.

The Roaring Forties in the Northern Hemisphere don’t pack the same punch that they do in the Southern Hemisphere. This is because the large land masses of North America, Europe, and Asia obstruct the airstream, whereas, in the southern hemisphere, there is less land to break the wind in South America, Australia, and New Zealand.

While the Roaring Forties may be fierce, 10 degrees south are even stronger gale-force winds called the Furious Fifties. And 10 degrees south of the Furious Fifties lie the Screaming Sixties! We can thank the intrepid sailors of yore for these wildly descriptive terms.

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roaring forties in American

Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.

Use for sailing

The Clipper Route, taken by ships sailing from Europe to Australia in order to take advantage of the Roaring Forties

During the Age of Sail, ships travelling from Europe to the East Indies or Australasia would sail down the west coast of Africa and round the Cape of Good Hope to use the Roaring Forties to speed their passage across the Indian Ocean, then on the return leg, continue eastwards across the Pacific Ocean and under Cape Horn before sailing up the east coast of the Americas to home. It was first used by Dutch explorer Hendrik Brouwer in his Brouwer Route, discovered in 1611, which effectively halved the duration of the trip from Europe to Java. «To run the easting down» was the phrase used to describe the fast passages achieved in the Roaring Forties.

Round-the-world sailors also take advantage of the Roaring Forties to speed travel times, in particular those involved in record attempts or races.

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Palavra do dia : sgraffito

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Roaring Forties in British

substantivo plural

the Roaring Forties

Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers

Exemplos de frases que contêm Roaring Forties

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I’d rather cruise the roaring forties off Tierra del Fuego in a garbage scow. THE SHIPPING NEWS (2002)The Rainbow rode high over the Roaring Forties, crabbing into the wind. SEIZE THE RECKLESS WINDWay to the south, the Roaring Forties were roaring eastwards, making seething swells sixty feet high. SEIZE THE RECKLESS WINDBut the Roaring Forties were only one day ahead and the weather reports said that they were still roaring. SEIZE THE RECKLESS WIND

Tendências de Roaring Forties

Palavra pouco usada. Roaring Forties está abaixo dos 50% de palavras comumente usadas no dicionário Collins

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Palavra do dia

sgraffito

a technique in mural or ceramic decoration in which the top layer of glaze , plaster , etc, is incised with a design to reveal parts of the ground

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