horse latitudes

horse latitudes

pl.n.

Either of two belts of latitudes located over the oceans at about 30° to 35° north and south, having high barometric pressure, calms, and light, changeable winds.

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[Possibly from Spanish golfo de las yeguas, mares' sea.]

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horse latitudes

pl n

(Transport / Nautical Terms) Nautical the latitudes near 30°N or 30°S at sea, characterized by baffling winds, calms, and high barometric pressure

[referring either to the high mortality of horses on board ship in these latitudes or to dead horse (nautical slang: advance pay), which sailors expected to work off by this stage of a voyage]

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horse latitudes  (hôrs)

Either of two regions of the globe, found over the oceans about 30 degrees north and south of the equator, where winds are light and the weather is hot and dry. They are associated with high atmospheric pressure and with the large-scale descent of cool dry air that spreads either toward the equator, as the trade winds, or toward the poles, as the westerlies.