Eli5: If heat is energy, how does cold wind exist? How can air move (have cold gusts of wind) if it’s not hot? Where does the energy for movement of cold air come from?

Question

I asked this in school and the teacher thought I was trolling and didn’t answer me. It’s been like 20 years and I still think about it, it drives me crazy lol.

In: Planetary Science

Answer 1

Cold water particles bounce around slowly compared to hot water particles, but if you put a straw into a cold drink and suck, it will move just as quickly, because the atmosphere is pushing the drink up into your mouth.

Wind is the result of massive pressure differentials moving millions of tons of air around. That movement will occur no matter how cold or hot the air being moved is.