roaring forties

ocean region

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Article History

Related Topics:: ocean; westerlies

roaring forties,, areas between latitudes 40° and 50° south in the Southern Hemisphere, where the prevailing winds blow persistently from the west. The roaring forties have strong, often gale-force, winds throughout the year. They were named by the sailors who first entered these latitudes.

This article was most recently revised and updated by John P. Rafferty.