, the winds that dictate weather in places like the US and Europe. Polar Cell (60° to 90°):
A ship sailing from 40°N to 10°N across the Atlantic Ocean records the following changes: increasing cloud cover, then heavy rain, then calm winds with intense heat. global atmospheric circulation worksheet
This is a "transitional" cell. Air moves poleward near the surface and equatorward at high altitudes. It creates the Westerlies , the winds that dictate weather in places
The global atmospheric circulation is the large-scale movement of air that distributes thermal energy across the Earth’s surface. This system is driven by the uneven heating of the planet: the equator receives intense, direct solar radiation, while the poles receive slanted, less concentrated light. To correct this imbalance, the atmosphere acts as a heat engine, moving warm air toward the poles and cold air toward the equator. The Three-Cell Model Air moves poleward near the surface and equatorward