In geography and seamanship, windward (/ˈwɪndwərd,ˈwɪnərd/) and leeward (/ˈliːwərd,ˈljuːərd/) 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.
Diagram showing definitions of windward (upwind) and leeward (downwind)
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.
This section needs expansion with: the etymology of "windward". You can help by adding to it. (January 2022)
The term "lee" is Low German, for a place without wind. Originally, the word comes from the Old Norsehle for "cover". Similar terms to Luv and Lee (engl. Windward and Leeward) have been in use in marine navigation in Germany since mediaeval times.[1]
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.[2]
Nauticaledit
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.[3]
Naval warfareedit
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.[4]
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.[5]
Describing islandsedit
The terms windward and leeward are used in reference both to sides (and climates[6]) 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.
^Goltz, Reinhard (3 August 2015). "Luv un Lee". DIE WELT (in German). Retrieved 6 November 2023.
^Patrick M. Royce (1 April 1993). Royce's Sailing Illustrated Course: Provides Lectures That Can Be Read Word for Word. ProStar Publications. pp. 11–. ISBN978-0-911284-01-0. from the original on 1 August 2020. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
^Navigators International Rules of the Road' 1998 Ed. Rex Bookstore, Inc. pp. 73–. ISBN978-971-23-2239-6. from the original on 1 August 2020. Retrieved 17 November 2016. Handling of the leeward vessel may be severely affected if she passes into the lee of the windward vessel. Handling of the windward vessel is free of such complication.
^David Childs (30 April 2014). The Warship Mary Rose: The Life and Times of King Henry VII's Flagship. Seaforth Publishing. pp. 127–. ISBN978-1-4738-5285-3. from the original on 1 August 2020. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
^Sam Willis (2008). Fighting at Sea in the Eighteenth Century: The Art of Sailing Warfare. Boydell Press. pp. 152–. ISBN978-1-84383-367-3. from the original on 1 August 2020. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
^Michael Pidwirny (5 September 2016). Glossary of Terms for Physical Geography. Our Planet Earth Publishing. pp. 286–. ISBN978-0-9877029-0-6. from the original on 1 August 2020. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
January 19, 2024
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Windward Leeward and Alee redirect here For other uses see Windward disambiguation Leeward disambiguation and Alee disambiguation In geography and seamanship windward ˈ w ɪ n d w er d ˈ w ɪ n er d and leeward ˈ l iː w er d ˈ lj uː er d 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 Diagram showing definitions of windward upwind and leeward downwind 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 Contents 1 Origin 2 Usage 2 1 Nautical 2 2 Naval warfare 2 3 Describing islands 3 See also 4 ReferencesOrigin editThis section needs expansion with the etymology of windward You can help by adding to it January 2022 The term lee is Low German for a place without wind Originally the word comes from the Old Norse hle for cover Similar terms to Luv and Lee engl Windward and Leeward have been in use in marine navigation in Germany since mediaeval times 1 Usage editMain article Sailing 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 2 Nautical edit 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 3 Naval warfare edit 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 4 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 5 Describing islands edit The terms windward and leeward are used in reference both to sides and climates 6 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 editBarlavento windward and Sotavento leeward in the Cape Verde Islands Downstream and upstream Foehn wind Lee shore List of nautical terms Northwestern Hawaiian Islands also known as Leeward Islands Windward Islands Leeward Islands and Leeward Antilles in the Lesser Antilles Windward Islands and Leeward Islands in the Society Islands References edit Goltz Reinhard 3 August 2015 Luv un Lee DIE WELT in German Retrieved 6 November 2023 Patrick M Royce 1 April 1993 Royce s Sailing Illustrated Course Provides Lectures That Can Be Read Word for Word ProStar Publications pp 11 ISBN 978 0 911284 01 0 Archived from the original on 1 August 2020 Retrieved 17 November 2016 Navigators International Rules of the Road 1998 Ed Rex Bookstore Inc pp 73 ISBN 978 971 23 2239 6 Archived from the original on 1 August 2020 Retrieved 17 November 2016 Handling of the leeward vessel may be severely affected if she passes into the lee of the windward vessel Handling of the windward vessel is free of such complication David Childs 30 April 2014 The Warship Mary Rose The Life and Times of King Henry VII s Flagship Seaforth Publishing pp 127 ISBN 978 1 4738 5285 3 Archived from the original on 1 August 2020 Retrieved 17 November 2016 Sam Willis 2008 Fighting at Sea in the Eighteenth Century The Art of Sailing Warfare Boydell Press pp 152 ISBN 978 1 84383 367 3 Archived from the original on 1 August 2020 Retrieved 17 November 2016 Michael Pidwirny 5 September 2016 Glossary of Terms for Physical Geography Our Planet Earth Publishing pp 286 ISBN 978 0 9877029 0 6 Archived from the original on 1 August 2020 Retrieved 17 November 2016 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Windward and leeward amp oldid 1183816672, wikipedia, wiki, book, 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