Doldrums Doldrums The doldrums is a colloquial expression derived from historical maritime usage, which refers to those parts of the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean affected by a low-pressure area around the equator where the prevailing winds are calm. The doldrums are also noted for calm periods when the winds disappear altogether, trapping sailing ships for periods of days or weeks. The term appears to have arisen in the eighteenth century, when trans-equator sailing voyages became more common. Since this zone is where two trade winds meet, it is also called the Intertropical Convergence Zone. They roughly lie between latitudes
South Atlantic Convergence Zone while easterly wind anomalies indicate breaks of activity along the SACZ. The feature is also strongest with negative anomalies in the sea surface temperature pattern lie over the southern Atlantic Ocean, while opposite conditions prevail across the northern Atlantic Ocean. South Atlantic Convergence Zone The South Atlantic convergence zone, or SACZ, is an elongated axis of clouds, precipitation, and convergent winds oriented in a northwest-southeast manner across southeast Brazil into the southwest Atlantic Ocean. By definition, the feature is a monsoon trough. It is strongest in the warm season. Thunderstorm activity along the feature magnifies over three or more days