Ryan

You could keep this place going on your own!

I know it's boring to keep hearing the same thing over and over, but you really should get some books and read them.

Have you done physics GCSE? Maybe you should think of doing the A level? It's never too late - I'm 44 and I'm going to do a beginners' geology course as soon as I can find one.

The wind has kinetic energy. Kinetic energy is the energy of a moving object. As the wind batters you some of its enegy is converted to sound, some to heat and some to kinetic energy in other objects (e.g. your flapping coat, your windswept hair etc.)

I hope that helps.

Aha. We're back to meteorology then.

Wind occurs when air moves from high pressure areas to low pressure areas. Imagine air in a syringe; if you press the plunger, the air inside is at higher pressure than the air outside, so a wind flows down the nozzle and the air comes out.

Likewise, air in the atmosphere can be at high pressure or low pressure (or anything in between). To equalise this pressure, wind blows.

What causes high pressure and low pressure? A combination of things: air movements in the upper atmosphere and temperature are the main two factors.

Just had a thought...

A dramatic demonstration of how temperature gradients can create a wind is often seen in thundery weather in summer. In the middle of glorious hot sunshine you might notice a very sudden squally wind getting up, within minutes the sky is darkening, the wind is blowing all over the place and then it starts bucketing with rain. The effect is caused by the rain and the shadow of the cloud quickly chilling hot ground, the air cools, shrinks and must be replaced by air from the sunny areas that surround the showers.

Look out for the same effect in April - famous for showery weather (caused by another interesting meteorological phenomenon - ripply waves in the atmosphere, but I'll let someone else pick up that baton).