TRADE WINDS  , the name given to the winds which blow from the tropical belts of high pressure towards the equatorial belt of low pressure, from the north-east in the northern hemisphere and from the south-east in the southern . They are exceedingly regular, especially over the oceans, where there is no disturbing influence from the great land masses . They receive their name from this feature, the term " trade " being used in the otherwise obsolete sense of " direction " or " course " (cf . " tread ") . The area of their greatest influence may be taken to extend from about 3° to 35° N., and from the equator to 28° S., though these belts are actually somewhat narrower at any given season, as the whole system of surface winds over the globe moves north and south following the sun . The westerly winds prevalent in the belts respectively north of the northern tropical belt of high pressure, and south of the southern, are sometimes known as anti-trades, their direction being opposite to that of the trade winds .