crosswind

Intermediate 🎖️ Military / Defense

Definition

A wind that has decided to take the scenic route across your path of travel instead of cooperating like a normal breeze. Pilots and sailors learn to respect this atmospheric contrarian, as it loves to make landings and takeoffs unnecessarily theatrical.

Example Usage

The pilot announced we'd be dealing with a 15-knot crosswind, which explained why everyone suddenly gripped their armrests like they were auditioning for a thriller.

Source: Aviation/meteorology terminology

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