The trade winds in two belts on the equatorial sides of the Horse Latitudes heat up as they move toward the Equator. These dry winds dissipate cloud cover, allowing more sunlight to heat the land. Most of the major deserts of the world lie in areas crossed by the trade winds. The world's largest desert, the Sahara of North Africa, which has experienced temperatures as high as 57° C, is a trade wind desert.
 The Sahara of Africa is the world's largest desert. It contains complex linear dunes that are separated by almost 6 kilometers. (Skylab photograph). |
Information provided by A
. S . Walker
http://pubs.usgs.gov