viento

Viento, Spanish for wind, refers to the motion of air relative to the Earth's surface. In meteorology, wind results from horizontal pressure differences in the atmosphere, created by uneven solar heating and, at larger scales, the rotation of the Earth (the Coriolis effect). Near the ground, surface roughness and thermal gradients produce variable winds.

Wind is described by its speed and direction. Speed is commonly measured in meters per second (m/s), kilometers per hour (km/h), or knots; direction by the compass. Gusts are brief increases in wind speed. The Beaufort scale provides qualitative descriptions from calm to hurricane.

Wind patterns include global prevailing winds such as the trade winds and westerlies, and local effects such as sea breezes, land breezes, mountain-valley breezes, katabatic winds, foehn, and chinook. Local winds can be persistent or diurnal depending on terrain and time of day.

Wind has practical significance. It powers turbines for electricity; it influences aviation and maritime navigation; in weather forecasting, wind fields help predict storms. Wind energy capacity has grown substantially in recent decades due to technology and climate policy.

In Spanish, viento denotes wind and appears in many cultural and natural contexts. The term ultimately derives from Latin ventus, related to wind and breeze across Romance languages.