Wind

[bednobs]

if the wind is coming from the south west, is that a south westerly wind or a north easterly wind?

[aelmpvw]

south westerly, doesn't it mean it's blowing from the south to the west?

[bobbinwales]

south westerly

[chelle7272]

South westerly
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/south-westerly#:~:text=A%20south%2Dwesterly%20point%2C%20area,or%20towards%20the%20south%2Dwest.&text=A%20south%2Dwesterly%20wind%20is,blows%20from%20the%20south%2Dwest.

[bhg481]

Just think of the little Rhyme "When the north wind does blow then we shall have snow". The north wind comes from the north and brings cold weather with it.

[Buenchico]

As Bob says, it's south westerly.

If you're looking at a weather vane, you need to remember that the arrow points towards the direction that the wind is coming from, not where it's going to:

[douglas9401]

Or the other rhyme:

When the wind's a south-westerly, you don't need a vesterly.

[Buenchico]

"When the wind is from the east, the BBC names it a beast" ;-)

[bednobs]

"south westerly, doesn't it mean it's blowing from the south to the west?"
without any buildings, can wind move thru 90 degrees??

[gingejbee]

^ and (if that were correct) where does a northerly wind blow? Nowhere, presumably!

[AuntPollyGrey]

Bednobs I was having this thought a few days ago . A West wind originated from the West etc. As for what is a north easterly or north westerly wind see this compass

https://www.katrinaaxford.com/uploads/1/3/9/9/13998720/published/compass-image.jpg?1487506289

[Paigntonian]

South Westerly, but I've always thought the definition should be the way the wind is blowing and not from where it originated.

[alavahalf]

These answers have made me laugh..
It's fairly obvious that the vast majority of ABers are landlubbers !

[Atheist]

Paignton, no, it's the other way round. You must have heard of a north wind.

[New Judge]

//South Westerly, but I've always thought the definition should be the way the wind is blowing and not from where it originated.//

It's of greater interest and usefulness to know where it has come from rather than where it is going. In the UK, for example, the prevailing wind is from the south west or west (that why most airport runways are aligned roughly east to west and have "09" and "18" - or numbers close to those - on each end). Such winds have travelled over the Atlantic and since the sea maintains its heat more than the land that air is usually mild, even in the winter. If we have a North wind it is from the polar regions and so will be cold. From the South it will have travelled from lower latitudes and so will generally be warm. Once it's passed us by, it's not really of much interest to us. Those who were Boy Scouts or Girl Guides will remember the 32 point compass:

https://filebin.net/qmyja5hs703hmr3c/32_point_compass.PNG?t=axzra1ig

[Khandro]

Always remember Ronnie Barker's song, "When the wind comes from behind, it blows my mind"