The global wind belt refers to the circulation of winds in the surface of the earth and can be divided into three: The (1) polar easterlies at 60-90 degrees latitude, the (2) prevailing westerlies or simply westerlies at 30-60 degrees latitude, and the (3) tropical easterlies or trade winds at 0-30 degrees latitude. The United States is located at 30-60 degrees latitude (with exception of Florida at around 25-27 degrees latitude), therefore the direction of the prevailing winds or the westerlies in the United States is going from the west towards the north.