Weather, or atmospheric conditions, moves from west to east in the mid-latitudes because of the prevailing westerly winds. These winds are caused by the Earth’s rotation and the movement of air masses, which are large bodies of air with similar temperature and humidity.
The Earth rotates on its axis from west to east, and this causes the planet to be divided into two main regions: the Western Hemisphere and the Eastern Hemisphere. The Western Hemisphere is to the west of the Prime Meridian, which runs through Greenwich, England, and the Eastern Hemisphere is to the east. The Earth’s rotation causes the air in the atmosphere to move from west to east, which means that weather systems in the Western Hemisphere tend to move from west to east as well.
The movement of air masses is another factor that contributes to the west-to-east movement of weather. Air masses form over large land masses or oceans, and they can be either warm or cold. Warm air masses tend to rise and move towards the poles, while cold air masses tend to sink and move towards the equator. This movement of air masses creates the prevailing westerly winds, which blow from the west towards the east.
The prevailing westerly winds are also influenced by the jet stream, which is a narrow band of strong winds in the upper atmosphere. The jet stream is found at the boundary between cold polar air and warm tropical air, and it tends to blow from west to east. The position of the jet stream can influence the path of storms and other weather systems, and it can also affect the temperature and humidity of the air at the surface.
In summary, weather moves from west to east in the mid-latitudes because of the Earth’s rotation, the movement of air masses, and the jet stream. These factors create the prevailing westerly winds, which blow from the west towards the east and influence the movement of weather systems.