Advection
Topic: Solar Radiation, Heat Balance and Temperature · NCERT: Class 11, Ch 8 "Solar Radiation, Heat Balance and Temperature"
Meaning
Advection is the sideways (horizontal) movement of heat by moving air. Air from a hot region carries its heat into a cooler region, and air from a cold region carries cold. Sideways movement of air matters more than vertical movement for moving heat from place to place. In middle latitudes, most day-to-day changes in weather are caused by advection.
Example
In May and June, hot, dry winds called the loo blow across the plains of north India, such as Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. They carry heat from the dry lands to the west and push afternoon temperatures very high. The loo is a clear case of advection.
Don't confuse with
- Convection: in convection, heat moves upward as warm air rises. In advection, heat moves sideways with the wind.