Question

How does the coriolis effect influence the global winds?

Answer 1

Hint: Movement of air on earth is called winds. The distribution of winds in earth’s lower atmosphere is called planetary wind. Planetary winds include trade winds, westerlies and polar easterlies.

Complete answer: Coriolis effect is basically the deflection of objects which are not firmly connected to the earth when they move long distances on earth. Our earth is not a perfect sphere and bulges at the equator. The earth therefore rotates faster at the equator. This is the key to coriolis effect.

Due to coriolis effect, air currents bend towards the right in the Northern hemisphere. Due to the same effect, air current bends towards the left in the southern hemisphere. The warm air rising at the equator and moving towards the poles get deflected right or eastward. In the southern hemisphere, air from the equator and moving towards the poles get deflected towards the left. The westerlies in the northern hemisphere get deflected eastward and in the southern hemisphere get deflected westward. Polar easterlies flowing from poles to equator are deflected westward in the northern hemisphere and eastward in southern hemisphere due to coriolis force.

Note: One should note how coriolis effect influences cyclones and weather patterns. In the northern hemisphere, as air is pulled into the low pressure eye of cyclones from all directions, they are deflected and the storm or hurricane rotates counter clockwise. On the other hand , in the southern hemisphere, storms rotate clockwise.