Why does the wind blow toward the West generally in the Cape Coral area?

Question

When I look at doppler radar most days, it shows the clouds moving Easterly but when I go outside I can tell the wind is blowing Westerly-just the opposite! How is that possible?

Answer 1

Ok, here's the thing:

First of all, the wind direction is normally an east wind at the surface for two reasons (from the east, towards the west). For one, because you are on the northern tip of the subtropics.  In the subtropics, you will be getting the east tradewind flow that occurs as a part of the general circulation.  You can learn more about wind circulations by researching "Hadley Cell".  Secondly, you get what is known as the Bermuda High that sets up to your east in many parts of the year.  This will allow east winds to flow as Cape Coral is generally on the west/southwest side of the center of the high (winds always circulate clockwise around high pressure).

Secondly, the reason you see the clouds moving from the west or towards the east is likely one of two things.  For one reason, you are seeing higher clouds that are way up in the atmosphere.  The winds at 15,000 to 45,000 ft can still be commonly from the west as the subtropical jet stream is frequently over Florida (the jet normally flows from west to east).  This will make the winds high up blow in the opposite direction than that of the surface.  Also, you may see the effect of a seabreeze that occurs during the day.  This will shift the winds from the west and will push cumulus clouds onshore.