Some aspects of the Statistical Distribution of Upper Winds over India

Abstract

For a quantitative evaluation of the probabilities of occurrence of upper wind speed and directions, a number of standard statistical parameters like standard deviations of the zonal and meridional components of the wind and the correlation coefficients between them are required. Utilising all radio-wind observations of the 5-year period, 1959-1963, these statistical parameters have been computed for the standard geometrical heights 1.5, 3.0, 6.0, 9.0, 12.0,14.1 and 16.2 km a. s. l. for all the twelve months of the year for three representative stations in India, viz., New Delhi, Nagpur and Trivandrum. The brief theory underlying the use of the statistical parameters and the method of constructing the distribution ellipses are outlined. The verification of the procedure has been illustrated by four actual cases of wind distribution. The main features of the distribution of winds in the different seasons have been discussed. In general, there is a tendency for the upper wind distribution to be elliptical rather than circular.