The Current Wind map shows the current , wind speed and direction for the most recent hour. Wind direction is determined by the direction from which it originates. For example, a northerly wind blows from the north to the south. Wind is the flow of air that occurs as it is heated by the sun and thus rises. Cool air then occupies the area from which the hot air has moved, creating what could loosely be termed a convection current. Winds are commonly classified by their spatial scale, their speed, the types of forces that cause them, the geographic regions in which they occur, or their effect.