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Which winds blow from about 30 degrees north latitude toward the equator?

The northeasterly trade winds.

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  1. The polar easterlies
  2. The jet stream
  3. The northeast trade winds ✔

Why: Air near 30 degrees flows back toward the equator along the surface. Earth's spin bends it to the right, so it comes from the northeast. Sailing ships used these steady trade winds.

Huh, didn't know that: In the Northern Hemisphere, these trade winds blow from the northeast toward the equator.

The dad joke
Why were the trade winds so good at business? They always made fair trades.
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References

Answer: The northeast trade winds. Air near 30 degrees flows back toward the equator along the surface. Earth's spin bends it to the right, so it comes from the northeast. Sailing ships used these steady trade winds.

  1. FAA Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (FAA-H-8083-25C), Chapter 12 Weather Theory www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/faa-h-8083-25c.pdf
    Coriolis force bends the flow to the right, thus creating the northeasterly trade winds that prevail from 30° latitude to the equator.
    Checked 2026-10-10.

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