Definition
A clockwise change in wind direction. For example, a wind shifting from south (180°) to west (270°) is veering. Veering winds in the Northern Hemisphere typically indicate the approach of warm air aloft and are often associated with warm fronts.
Plain English
The wind is veering when its direction is rotating clockwise — like the hour hand of a clock moving from 6 to 9. So a wind that was blowing from the south and is now blowing from the west has veered.
Context Anchor
Seen in aviation weather reports, forecasts, and discussions of wind changes with altitude or approaching weather.
Derivation
From the French 'virer,' meaning to turn or swing around. Originally a sailing term — sailors spoke of the wind veering when it shifted clockwise, helping them anticipate course changes. The aviation meaning carries that same sense of a turning, rotating shift in direction.
Why Pilots Care
Knowing whether the wind is veering or backing helps a pilot anticipate frontal passage, wind shear with altitude, and changes in surface wind that affect runway selection and approach planning.
Intuition Check
Do not read veering as simply “moving off course.” In aviation weather, veering means the wind direction is changing clockwise.
Example Sentence 1
The forecast showed the surface wind veering from southerly to westerly through the afternoon as the warm front moved through.
Example Sentence 2
A veering wind shift during final approach required a small heading correction to stay aligned with the runway.