What's the typical wind direction before the passage of a warm front?

Before the passage of a warm front, the typical wind direction is from the south. This occurs as warm, moist air moves northward ahead of the front. The warm front itself represents the leading edge of warm air that rises over cooler air, which is typically denser and remains at the surface.

As warm air approaches the region where a warm front is moving in, the prevailing winds tend to shift from the easterly or southeasterly directions to a more southerly direction. This southward shift is significant because it helps to deliver warm air from lower latitudes, which is crucial to the eventual weather changes that accompany the frontal passage, such as increases in temperature and humidity.

In contrast, winds from the other directions (east, north, and west) would suggest different meteorological conditions not typical of warm front scenarios. For instance, an easterly wind would not warm the surface air as effectively, and northern or westerly winds would generally indicate cooler and more stable air masses typically associated with high-pressure systems. Understanding these wind patterns helps in predicting weather changes associated with warm fronts.