<p>You cannot.</p>
<p>There are two different approaches for that. Short term meteorological one and long term climatological one.</p>
<p>For the short term, the behaviour of atmosphere can be described by Richardson's differential equations, but the problem is the solution is mathematically instable. Slight inaccuracy and incompleteness of initial and border condition — i.e. input measurement data — leads to divergence of predicted future state.</p>
<p>So, for more than 10-14 days in future, any numerical prediction based on current state is lost in noise.</p>
<p>The long term climatological approach works with probabilities and long term observed spatial and temporal behaviour patterns. But it mostly focus on expected ranges of average surface temperature and precipitation.</p>
<p>Parameters like strength direction and temperature of wind has too high variability for that. Unless it is the case of typical seasonal winds like passats or monzunes.</p>
<p>Both meteorological and climatological predictions largely depend on particular land and sea layouts, sea temperature and stream patterns.</p>
<hr />
<p>Meteorology and climatology search for the answer for the hundred years and you want to get it in the single StackExchange post. Or rather, they already know  the answer - there is no definite nor exact answer - and just try to find good approximations.</p>
<p>For particular, regularly observed patterns, you can make quite reliable predictions. If there is observed for some season the wind blows toward this side of mountain range, you can make such a prediction. But you cannot make general predictions for variable patterns, unless short term ones.</p>
<p>So, take current short term  meteorological forecasts and long term outlooks and you get the reliable picture how accurate predictions can be made.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-12-30T00:37:14.657Z
So I cannot make accurate predictions for things such as this https://seos-project.eu/oceancurrents/images/global_currents.png , nor can I just find directions in the idea of like, being able to tell what side of mountain ranges should be luscious due to capturing the moisture, and which should be dry.
Zoey
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-12-30T04:42:30.560Z
See the answer update.
Poutnik
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-01-28T14:00:08.697Z
That's not quite correct. You're right that wind cannot be predicted on small temporal and spatial scales due to turbulence, but there are large scale patterns in the atmosphere (eg Hadley circulation, Ferrell circulation) and in the oceans (eg subtropical gyres) that are stable and a consequence of the heat budget. That's why tgere are prevailing winds and similar patterns on other planets with various zones.
uUnwY
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-01-28T14:45:58.880Z
@StephanMatthiesen I do not say there are no patterns I but I was speaking rather in context of meteorologic than climatologic prediction. There are significant local to synoptic scale fluctuations on these pattern baselines. Even staying at climatology level, dependance of spatial deviations of climatologic patterns on large and small scale geoghraphy is non trivial.
Poutnik
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-01-28T17:14:57.527Z
It depends on what the OP needs. I do think for their purpose the large scale patterns are more relevant. In the comment above @Zoey specifically ask about the global ocean surface circulation and for a planet of similar features are earth I don't see a reason why you won't have similar subtropical gyres with western intensification in each basin, although of course their precise shape depends on the geography of the ocean basins (just like on earth Atlantic and Pacific are different)
uUnwY
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-12-29T19:18:03.433Z
2021-12-30T05:02:21.110Z
2021-12-30T05:02:21.110Z
Poutnik
<p>I am trying to make a fictional world, but I want to be as realistic as humanly possible with the winds and climate. So my question is, knowing various parametres, how exactly can I make out what paths these would follow and what their temperatures and humidity should be? At least a decent estimate.</p>
<p>The atmosphere is Earth-like (basically identical in composition), and as far as I am now, it is the same size with same distance to the sun, and same rotational velocity and such. Would this just make it identical to Earth in winds? If it had a different size or rotational velocity, how exactly would this effect the winds?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-12-28T15:12:33.167Z
I'd suggest you stick towards one question, and remove the last sentence, which is a significant change from the rest of your question?
JeopardyTempest
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-12-28T16:23:43.850Z
I don't see how it is a change from the rest of the question, I feel it is essentially the same exact question worded differently.
Zoey
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-12-28T18:01:40.430Z
I'd suggest meteorologically it's a very wide/complex question just to answer for an Earthlike location.  Then changing the size and rotational velocity/Coriolis further amplifies some factors.  It's not night and day, it's not the end of the world, but with the large scale answer you're asking for in your initial question, I think it's probably fairest to stick to that focus?
JeopardyTempest
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-12-28T20:08:19.363Z
I just feel that the last part is just a further clarification of my question, of how to predict it with some degree of accuracy with factors differing from Earth.
Zoey
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-12-29T00:15:08.257Z
Worldbuilding SE is a better fit for speculative questions like this.
Spencer
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-12-29T00:45:37.440Z
I just don't really trust Worldbuilding SE as much as I do SE's actually focused on the subjects that I am asking.
Zoey
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-12-29T21:10:51.720Z
I have some thoughts but before I type them up, how detailed do you want to be in regards to this stuff? Also will it contribute to the story or is it just being used to flesh out the world?
Wxboyajm
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-12-30T00:35:59.607Z
@Wxboyajm I am focusing far more on the world, and I do want to be as detailed as I can reasonably be. This is a pretty long term worldbuilding project.
Zoey
<meteorology><planetary-science><climate-models>
How exactly can one make out the direction of and temperature of winds
Zoey
# How exactly can one make out the direction of and temperature of winds

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-12-28)

I am trying to make a fictional world, but I want to be as realistic as humanly possible with the winds and climate. So my question is, knowing various parametres, how exactly can I make out what paths these would follow and what their temperatures and humidity should be? At least a decent estimate.

The atmosphere is Earth-like (basically identical in composition), and as far as I am now, it is the same size with same distance to the sun, and same rotational velocity and such. Would this just make it identical to Earth in winds? If it had a different size or rotational velocity, how exactly would this effect the winds?

**Tags:** meteorology, planetary-science, climate-models

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I'd suggest you stick towards one question, and remove the last sentence, which is a significant change from the rest of your question?  
> **username_0**: I don't see how it is a change from the rest of the question, I feel it is essentially the same exact question worded differently.  
> **username_1**: I'd suggest meteorologically it's a very wide/complex question just to answer for an Earthlike location.  Then changing the size and rotational velocity/Coriolis further amplifies some factors.  It's not night and day, it's not the end of the world, but with the large scale answer you're asking for in your initial question, I think it's probably fairest to stick to that focus?  
> **username_0**: I just feel that the last part is just a further clarification of my question, of how to predict it with some degree of accuracy with factors differing from Earth.  
> **username_2**: Worldbuilding SE is a better fit for speculative questions like this.  
> **username_0**: I just don't really trust Worldbuilding SE as much as I do SE's actually focused on the subjects that I am asking.  
> **username_3**: I have some thoughts but before I type them up, how detailed do you want to be in regards to this stuff? Also will it contribute to the story or is it just being used to flesh out the world?  
> **username_0**: @username_3 I am focusing far more on the world, and I do want to be as detailed as I can reasonably be. This is a pretty long term worldbuilding project.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2021-12-29. Score: 2

You cannot.

There are two different approaches for that. Short term meteorological one and long term climatological one.

For the short term, the behaviour of atmosphere can be described by Richardson's differential equations, but the problem is the solution is mathematically instable. Slight inaccuracy and incompleteness of initial and border condition — i.e. input measurement data — leads to divergence of predicted future state.

So, for more than 10-14 days in future, any numerical prediction based on current state is lost in noise.

The long term climatological approach works with probabilities and long term observed spatial and temporal behaviour patterns. But it mostly focus on expected ranges of average surface temperature and precipitation.

Parameters like strength direction and temperature of wind has too high variability for that. Unless it is the case of typical seasonal winds like passats or monzunes.

Both meteorological and climatological predictions largely depend on particular land and sea layouts, sea temperature and stream patterns.

---

Meteorology and climatology search for the answer for the hundred years and you want to get it in the single StackExchange post. Or rather, they already know the answer - there is no definite nor exact answer - and just try to find good approximations.

For particular, regularly observed patterns, you can make quite reliable predictions. If there is observed for some season the wind blows toward this side of mountain range, you can make such a prediction. But you cannot make general predictions for variable patterns, unless short term ones.

So, take current short term meteorological forecasts and long term outlooks and you get the reliable picture how accurate predictions can be made.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: So I cannot make accurate predictions for things such as this https://seos-project.eu/oceancurrents/images/global_currents.png , nor can I just find directions in the idea of like, being able to tell what side of mountain ranges should be luscious due to capturing the moisture, and which should be dry.  
> **username_4**: See the answer update.  
> **username_5**: That's not quite correct. You're right that wind cannot be predicted on small temporal and spatial scales due to turbulence, but there are large scale patterns in the atmosphere (eg Hadley circulation, Ferrell circulation) and in the oceans (eg subtropical gyres) that are stable and a consequence of the heat budget. That's why tgere are prevailing winds and similar patterns on other planets with various zones.  
> **username_4**: @StephanMatthiesen I do not say there are no patterns I but I was speaking rather in context of meteorologic than climatologic prediction. There are significant local to synoptic scale fluctuations on these pattern baselines. Even staying at climatology level, dependance of spatial deviations of climatologic patterns on large and small scale geoghraphy is non trivial.  
> **username_5**: It depends on what the OP needs. I do think for their purpose the large scale patterns are more relevant. In the comment above @username_0 specifically ask about the global ocean surface circulation and for a planet of similar features are earth I don't see a reason why you won't have similar subtropical gyres with western intensification in each basin, although of course their precise shape depends on the geography of the ocean basins (just like on earth Atlantic and Pacific are different)  

---

