The Trade Wind Field Over the Pacific Ocean. Part II. Bimonthly Fields of Wind Stress: 1950 to 1972,

The trade wind field over the Pacific Ocean between 30N and 30S has been studied on the basis of five million wind observations taken from ships. Data were averaged for areas of 2 degrees latitude and 10 degrees longitude to resolve adequately the north-south gradients in the wind field. Bimonthly mean maps of the wind stress vector were produced for the period from 1950 to 1972. Indices of the size and overall strength of the northeast and the southeast trades are defined, and time series of these indices are presented for the period from 1948 to 1972. Interannual variations and the most outstanding seasonal anomalies in the trade wind field are discussed briefly.