In the Northern Hemisphere, how do wind directions rotate around a high-pressure (anticyclone) center?

Get ready for the Dual Enrollment Earth Science Test. Study strategically with multiple choice questions that include hints and detailed explanations.

Multiple Choice

In the Northern Hemisphere, how do wind directions rotate around a high-pressure (anticyclone) center?

Explanation:
In the Northern Hemisphere, the Coriolis effect deflects moving air to the right. Air at the surface around a high-pressure center sinks and spreads outward. As that outward flow moves away from the center, the rightward deflection curves the path into a clockwise circulation. This outward, clockwise pattern is the hallmark of anticyclones in the NH. The opposite rotation occurs around a low-pressure center, where air moves inward and rises, producing a counterclockwise flow. So the winds around a high-pressure system rotate clockwise.

In the Northern Hemisphere, the Coriolis effect deflects moving air to the right. Air at the surface around a high-pressure center sinks and spreads outward. As that outward flow moves away from the center, the rightward deflection curves the path into a clockwise circulation. This outward, clockwise pattern is the hallmark of anticyclones in the NH. The opposite rotation occurs around a low-pressure center, where air moves inward and rises, producing a counterclockwise flow. So the winds around a high-pressure system rotate clockwise.

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