Querwind

Querwind is a term used in meteorology and in speculative fiction to denote a crosswind pattern—air moving perpendicular to the prevailing wind direction. The name derives from the German word quer, meaning across or diagonal, and reflects its orientation relative to the main flow. In scientific literature, querwind describes gusty or rotating flows produced when air interacts with complex terrain, urban canyons, or atmospheric jets.

In real-world meteorology, crosswinds are common near mountains, plateaus, coastlines, and built environments. They complicate aviation during takeoff and landing, affect sailing and kite navigation, and influence wind-energy assessments by altering turbine loading and wake effects. Measurement relies on networks of anemometers, lidar, and radar, while modeling uses computational fluid dynamics to resolve turbulent eddies and shear layers.

In speculative or worldbuilding contexts, Querwind is sometimes portrayed as a controllable or harvestable resource. Some narratives feature windcatchers or turbine lattices designed to exploit crossflow, while others treat querwinds as volatile weather hazards requiring adaptive architecture and planning.

See also: crosswind, wind shear, topography, wind energy, urban climatology.