Surface wind strength and sea surface temperature connections along the south peruvian coast during the last 150 years

•The aeolian grain size can be used to reconstruct relative wind strength.•Aeolian grain size distributions exhibit fluctuations with decadal and multi-decadal cycles.•Intensification of winds could continue as the coastal atmospheric jet strengthens.•Results suggest a progressive intensification of the South Pacific Subtropical High.•Winds intensification might be linked to the Atlantic – Pacific atmospheric coupling mechanism.