Position relative to wind direction: upwind and downwind respectively
Diagram showing definitions of windward (upwind) and leeward (downwind)
In
geography
and
seamanship
,
windward
(
) and
leeward
(
) are directions relative to the
wind
. Windward is
upwind
from the point of reference, i.e., towards the direction from which the wind is coming; leeward is
downwind
from the point of reference, i.e., along the direction towards which the wind is going.
The side of a ship that is towards the leeward is its "lee side". If the vessel is
heeling
under the pressure of
crosswind
, the lee side will be the "lower side". During the
Age of Sail
, the term
weather
was used as a synonym for
windward
in some contexts, as in the
weather gage
.
Since it captures
rainfall
, the windward side of a
mountain
tends to be wetter than the leeward side it blocks. The drier leeward area is said to be in a
rain shadow
.
Origin
[
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]
The term "windward" has roots in both Low German and Old English. The word "lee", which means a place without wind, comes from the Old Norse "hle" for "cover" and has been used in marine navigation in Germany since medieval times. The word "wind," meaning "air in motion," comes from Proto-Germanic *winda- and has evolved over time, with pronunciation changes influenced by similar words like "windy." The word "wind" has been associated with emptiness and vanity since the late 13th century. Additionally, "wind" has been used figuratively in phrases like "which way the wind blows" to indicate the current state of affairs. The suffix "-ward," meaning "toward," is an adverbial suffix in Old English derived from Proto-Germanic *werda-, which itself comes from the PIE root *wer- meaning "to turn, bend." The original notion of "-ward" is "turned toward."
[1]
[2]
Usage
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]
Windward and leeward directions (and the
points of sail
they create) are important factors to consider in such wind-powered or wind-impacted activities as
sailing
,
wind-surfing
,
gliding
,
hang-gliding
, and
parachuting
. Other terms with broadly the same meaning are widely used, particularly
upwind
and
downwind
.
[3]
Nautical
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]
Among sailing craft, the windward vessel is normally the more maneuverable. For this reason, rule 12 of the
International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea
, applying to sailing vessels, stipulates that where two are sailing in similar directions in relation to the wind, the windward vessel gives way to the leeward vessel.
[4]
Naval warfare
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]
In naval warfare during the
Age of Sail
, a vessel always sought to use the wind to its advantage, maneuvering if possible to attack from windward. This was particularly important for less maneuverable
square-rigged
warships, which had limited ability to sail upwind, and sought to "hold the
weather gage
" entering battle.
[5]
This was particularly important once
artillery
was introduced to naval warfare. Ships heel away from the wind, so the leeward vessel would expose more of her
topsides
to shot, in extreme cases even part of her bottom.
[6]
Describing islands
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]
The terms windward and leeward are used in reference both to sides (and climates
[7]
) of individual islands and relative island locations in an
archipelago
. The windward side of an island is subject to the
prevailing wind
, and is thus the wetter (see
orographic precipitation
). The leeward side is the side distant from or physically in the lee of the prevailing wind, and typically the drier.
In an archipelago
windward islands
are upwind and
leeward islands
are downwind of the prevailing winds, such as the
trade winds
of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
See also
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]
References
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]