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Name: Richard G.
Status: other
Age:  50s
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: 2000-2001
Question:
What effect does the sun have on wind direction on hills, mountain tops and passes. Dear Richard-

The solar influence on wind direction applies only in situations such as land-sea interfaces, where a sea-breeze or land-breeze becomes established due to daytime heating, and nighttime cooling. Air drainage does occur in hilly and mountainous areas at night when the air near the ground cools and flows downhill into the valleys. But atmospheric pressure patterns have a much greater effect on wind direction than any solar influences has.

Wendell Bechtold, Meteorologist
Forecaster, National Weather Service
Weather Forecast Office, St. Louis, MO

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