Explain the Coriolis effect and its impact on wind direction in the Northern Hemisphere.

• A. It deflects moving air to the left in the Northern Hemisphere, causing clockwise rotation around lows.
• B. It deflects moving air to the right in the Northern Hemisphere, causing cyclonic rotation around lows and anticyclonic around highs.
• C. It only affects vertical motion and not horizontal wind.
• D. It has no effect on wind direction in the Northern Hemisphere.

Answer: (B)

The Coriolis effect comes from Earth’s rotation and makes moving air appear to turn to the right in the Northern Hemisphere. This sideways deflection changes the way winds flow around pressure systems. Around a low-pressure center, air moves inward and upward, and the rightward bend causes the circulation to spin counterclockwise (cyclonic). Around a high-pressure center, air moves outward and downward, and the deflection leads to a clockwise spin (anticyclonic). So, the Coriolis effect explains why winds around lows are cyclonic and around highs are anticyclonic in the Northern Hemisphere. It’s stronger at higher latitudes and with faster winds, and it does not cause vertical motion nor deflect to the left.