southeast trade wind

meteorology

Also known as: Southeast trade, southeast trades, southeast tradewind(Show More)

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July 14, 2026

Quick Summary

The southeast trade wind is a persistent wind that blows toward the Equator from subtropical high-pressure belts. These winds are stronger and more consistent over oceans than land and were historically crucial for sailing ships crossing westward.1

In meteorology, the trade winds are part of a larger atmospheric circulation pattern known as the Hadley cell. Air descends in subtropical high-pressure regions, then moves towards the Equator. Due to the Coriolis effect, this equatorward flow is deflected, resulting in northeast winds north of the Equator and southeast winds south of it. These winds converge in the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ), an area near the Equator characterized by rising air, convection, and frequent thunderstorms.234

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Madagascar
Climate of Madagascar
…combined effects of the moisture-bearing southeast trade and northwest monsoon winds as they blow across the central plateau. The trade winds, which blow throughout the year, are strongest from May to October. The east coast is to the windward and has a high annual rate of precipitation, reaching nearly 150…
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…combined effects of the moisture-bearing southeast trade and northwest monsoon winds as they blow across the central plateau. The trade winds, which blow throughout the year, are strongest from May to October. The east coast is to the windward and has a high annual rate of precipitation, reaching nearly 150…
Read More

Atlantic Ocean
The South Atlantic
The southeast trade winds maintain the South Equatorial Current, which flows toward the west where it divides into two branches: one that continues to the Northern Hemisphere and enters the Caribbean—together with a small amount of water from the North Equatorial Current—as the Guiana (Guyana) Current…
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The southeast trade winds maintain the South Equatorial Current, which flows toward the west where it divides into two branches: one that continues to the Northern Hemisphere and enters the Caribbean—together with a small amount of water from the North Equatorial Current—as the Guiana (Guyana) Current…
Read More