The prevailing winds around here are from the west. Northeast is perhaps the second most common wind direction.
Wind is caused by variations in air pressure.
In the absence of other forces, air moves from areas of high pressure toward areas of lower pressure. This is called the pressure gradient force. Another force that comes into play is the Coriolis Effect , caused by the Earth's rotation. Along the Virginia coast, we're also affected by both sea breezes and land breezes, which occur due to temperature differences between the ocean and land.