Breakdown: Why winds are so calm at the equator

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - Did you know that right at the equator there is almost no wind at all?

This area is sometimes called the doldrums.

But why is it so calm?

Near the equator are something known as “trade winds.” The trade winds are air currents closer to Earth’s surface that blow from east to west just north and south of the equator.

These trade winds converge and meet together, which causes air uplift at the equator.

The trade winds are created by a cycle of warm, moist air rising near the equator. The air... — The trade winds are created by a cycle of warm, moist air rising near the equator. The air eventually cools and sinks a bit further north in the tropics. This phenomenon is called the Hadley cell.(NASA/JPL-Caltech)

Additionally, since the Sun shines directly on the equator, it creates very intense heat.

Due to intense solar heating, the warm air is forced up into the atmosphere like a hot air balloon, rather than blowing horizontally. The result is little or no wind.

Earth's rotation causes the trade winds to curve toward the west in the Northern Hemisphere and... — Earth's rotation causes the trade winds to curve toward the west in the Northern Hemisphere and the east in the Southern Hemisphere. The area of almost no wind at the equator is called the doldrums.(NASA/JPL-Caltech)

During the age of sailing when wind was the main source of naval propulsion, the doldrums were a very real trap for sailing ships, which could be stuck for weeks on end on windless waters.

This NASA satellite image shows the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone, known to sailors around... — This NASA satellite image shows the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone, known to sailors around the world as the doldrums.(NASA)

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