pressure-gradient force

atmospheric science

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July 13, 2026

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The pressure-gradient force is a fundamental concept in atmospheric science that drives wind. It represents the force exerted by differences in atmospheric pressure over a given area, pushing air from regions of high pressure to regions of low pressure. This force is a key component in understanding wind patterns and is directly related to Newton's second law of motion.12

In essence, the greater the difference in pressure over a distance (a steeper pressure gradient), the stronger the pressure-gradient force and, consequently, the faster the wind will blow. This force is balanced by other forces, such as the Coriolis force (due to Earth's rotation) and friction, to determine the actual wind speed and direction. The concept is crucial for understanding weather systems, from local breezes to large-scale phenomena like hurricanes and jet streams.13

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Buys Ballot’s law
…between the wind and the pressure gradient is a right angle. This is almost exactly true in the free atmosphere, but not near the surface. Near the ground, the angle is usually less than 90° because of friction between the air and the surface and the turning of the wind…
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…between the wind and the pressure gradient is a right angle. This is almost exactly true in the free atmosphere, but not near the surface. Near the ground, the angle is usually less than 90° because of friction between the air and the surface and the turning of the wind…
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geostrophic motion
…the Earth’s rotation) and the pressure-gradient force. The velocity of the flow is proportional to the gradient of the pressure and inversely proportional to latitude. Although observed fluid motions are not strictly geostrophic, large-scale oceanic and atmospheric movements approach the ideal; that is, the geostrophic current usually represents the actual…
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…the Earth’s rotation) and the pressure-gradient force. The velocity of the flow is proportional to the gradient of the pressure and inversely proportional to latitude. Although observed fluid motions are not strictly geostrophic, large-scale oceanic and atmospheric movements approach the ideal; that is, the geostrophic current usually represents the actual…
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gradient wind
Around a low-pressure centre, the pressure-gradient force directed inward balances the Coriolis force and the centrifugal force, both directed outward; because the Coriolis force acts to the wind’s right in the Northern Hemisphere and to its left in the Southern, the wind blows counterclockwise along the curved isobars in the…
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Around a low-pressure centre, the pressure-gradient force directed inward balances the Coriolis force and the centrifugal force, both directed outward; because the Coriolis force acts to the wind’s right in the Northern Hemisphere and to its left in the Southern, the wind blows counterclockwise along the curved isobars in the…
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ocean current
Pressure gradients
The hydrostatic pressure, p, at any depth below the sea surface is given by the equation p = gρz, where g is the acceleration of gravity, ρ is the density of seawater, which increases with depth, and z is the depth below the…
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The hydrostatic pressure, p, at any depth below the sea surface is given by the equation p = gρz, where g is the acceleration of gravity, ρ is the density of seawater, which increases with depth, and z is the depth below the…
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