The region between 40 and 50° S latitude where the prevailing westerly winds blow largely unobstructed by land over the open oceans, and also the winds themselves. They are constant and of great velocity, whence comes the term ”roaring”. The weather is stormy, rainy, and comparatively mild in the wake of constantly appearing depressions. The land areas that do obstruct them, the western mountainous coasts of southern Chile, Tasmania and New Zealand, experience tremendous rainfall through the year on the western sides (up to 100 in.) and much less on the eastern sides (around 20 in.). These are also known as brave west winds.