What causes wind?

Wind is primarily caused by pressure differences in the atmosphere. When the sun heats the Earth's surface, uneven heating occurs, leading to variations in temperature across different areas. These temperature differences create variations in air pressure; warmer air tends to rise, leading to lower pressure at the surface. Conversely, cooler air is denser and typically has higher pressure. Wind is the result of air moving from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure in an attempt to equalize these differences.

While factors such as temperature changes and the Earth's rotation (which contributes to the Coriolis effect) influence wind patterns and direction, the fundamental cause of wind is indeed the differences in air pressure. Air mass modification affects local weather conditions but is not the root cause of wind itself. Understanding this concept is crucial for meteorological studies and helps explain various weather phenomena.