Roaring Forties: What Is It & The Definition

The Roaring Forties is a name given to a warm westerly wind that travels to the poles from the Equator and is useful for those traveling at sea. Sailors have used these strong winds for centuries to improve their travel, and they are still used in sailing expeditions today.

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The Roaring Forties are extraordinarily strong westerly winds that blow between latitudes 40 and 50 degrees in the Southern Hemisphere. A movement of warm air, the rotation of the Earth, and a lack of key mainland are main contributors to the development of these winds.

Warm air around the equatorial region rises and moves towards the poles, where temperatures are frigid, and there is less heat from the sun. The wind accelerates as it goes south of the Equator, driven by cooler breezes since it encounters no obstructions to act as windbreaks.

These powerful westerly winds, which vary in speed from 15 to 35 knots and create large ocean waves that reach a maximum of 33 feet, occur all year round. They are more intense in the fall and spring, with wind speeds of up to 125mph.

History of Roaring Forties 

Ships traveling from Europe to Australasia, or the East Indies in the Age of Sail (mid-16th to the mid-19th century) would travel off the west coast of Africa and around the Cape of Good Hope to take advantage of the Roaring Forties to quicken their voyage across the Indian Ocean.

They would then proceed eastward across the Pacific Ocean before going up the east coast of North and South America to return to Europe. Dutch explorer Hendrik Brouwer used it in the Brouwer Route, which was found in 1611. He was one of the first people to discover this westerly wind.

The route cut the time it took to travel from Europe to Java in half, and the speed passages attained in the Roaring Forties were referred to as “running the easting down.”

How Are Roaring Forties Formed? 

Warm air close to the equatorial region rises and flows towards the poles, forming the Roaring Forties. This warm air that travels on both sides of the Equator is the product of nature, attempting to lessen the difference in temperature generated by irregular heat from the sun between the poles and the Equator.

Global circulation cells are formed as a result of this, and they regulate global wind patterns. At roughly 30 degrees latitude of the Equator (north and south), the air returns to the surface of the Earth and the high-pressure subtropical ridge, or the horse latitudes, is located here.

The Earth’s rotation deflects air towards the North and South poles as the temperature difference diminishes, creating strong westerly winds at around 40 degrees, which is the Roaring Forties.

Dynamics of the Roaring Forties 

At the Equator, warm air rises and is driven to the North and South poles by colder air moving towards the Equator. This is an atmospheric circulation phenomenon referred to as the Hadley Cell. Outward-moving air falls to lower altitudes at 30 degrees south and proceeds towards the poles closer to the Earth.

It then rises around 60 degrees south when it enters the Polar vortex. Westerly winds are created when movement in the 30-to-60-degree south zone mixes with the Earth’s rotation to transport airflow from the west to the east.

The truth is that only New Zealand, Tasmania, and the southernmost portion of South America break the vast expanses of open ocean south of 40 degrees south.

These minor impediments, which are themselves surrounded by enormous stretches of open sea, allow for significantly higher wind speeds than 40 degrees north, where two big continents, namely North America and Eurasia, restrict the flow of these westerly winds.

As these winds get closer to the poles, they tend to increase in speeds, and winds found at 50 degrees are known as the Furious Fifties, while winds at 60 degrees are known as the Shrieking or Screaming Sixties.

Uses of Roaring Forties in Sailing

The first seafarers to explore these regions during the Age of Sail nicknamed these winds the Roaring Forties.

These strong winds aided ships in sailing swiftly from west to east when traveling from Europe to the East Indies or Australasia. Sailors would travel via the Brouwer Route, through the Cape of Good Hope, and over the Indian Ocean to get to their destination.

Maritime explorers would also make use of the Roaring Forties when making their return trip. Today, modern sailors continue to use the Roaring Forties to hasten their travels and perform record-breaking sailing endeavors.

Uses of the Roaring Forties in Generating Wind Power

 

Wind power offers much promise as an alternative source of energy, and countries such as Tasmania and New Zealand can use these winds as an alternative source of energy. It became popular in the 1970s as oil prices began to increase, and they are still a prominent power source for many people around the world.

Because the Roaring Forties is such a strong wind, it is able to generate power in these regions efficiently.

Types of Roaring Forties 

The Roaring Forties is a name given to the wind formed as air moves from the Equator towards the poles in the north and south. As this wind travels toward the poles, it becomes fiercer. This is why sailors gave it names like “Furious Fifties” and “Screaming Sixties.” The section below discusses these variations in greater detail.

Roaring Forties

These strong winds are experienced at 40 degrees latitude north and south.

Furious Fifties

When traveling a further 10 degrees, you may experience gale-force winds, known as the Furious Fifties. They are felt more strongly between 50- and 60-degrees latitude in the south, as there are fewer landmasses to break wind speeds.

Screaming Sixties

A further 10 degrees southward, between 60- and 70-degrees latitude, is where the Screaming Sixties can be felt. Wind speeds in this region reach over 31 mph.

The Impact of Pollution on Roaring Forties

Due to a combination of greenhouse gas emissions and ozone degradation caused by human activities, the Roaring Forties has migrated around 2.5 degrees southward in the late twentieth century. As a result, temperatures in Antarctica are rising, and Australia, particularly Western Australia, receives less rainfall.

Facts About the Roaring Forties

• The Roaring Forties are felt more strongly in the south than they are in the north
• Explorer Hendrik Brouwer discovered these winds
• They cause large ocean waves up to 33 feet high
• The name “Roaring Forties” was coined by sailors during the Age of Sail, where these winds played an essential role in travel
• As they travel toward the poles, wind speeds increase
• Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand, is known as the “windy Welly” because of the Roaring Forties

Conclusion 

The Roaring Forties is essentially the Earth’s way of attempting to normalize temperature differences caused by irregular heat from the sun. They have a huge impact on global weather patterns and are still useful today for speeding up oceanic expeditions.

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FAQs About the Roaring Forties 

The section below answers some of the most pressing questions about the Roaring Forties.

Why Is It Called the Roaring Forties?

This wind is referred to as the Roaring Forties because it persists at 40 degrees latitude north and south of the Equator.

How Is the Weather Affected by the Roaring Forties?

The Roaring Forties bring strong warm westerly winds to the areas where they occur, essentially warming these regions. They also bring wild winds, cold temperatures, and rain to southern Australia and Tasmania.

What Does the Roaring Forties Predict?

In the south, the Roaring Forties are often a tell-tale sign that a storm is on the way or that you can expect rough seas.

What Is the Nature of the Roaring Forties?

Strong winds, rain, and cold weather characterize the Roaring Forties in areas such as Southern Australia and Tasmania. These strong winds have influenced everything from tiny local rainforest rodent species to birds and penguins.