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Factors Affecting Wind
Objectives:
1. Describe the Coriolis effect.
2. Explain how the Coriolis effect, friction, and pressure gradients affect wind direction.
Key Terms:
Coriolis effect jet stream
Notes: (19-2)
Wind is the product of pressure gradients established between high and low pressure systems. These systems are constantly moving and changing. This constant movement of the pressure systems is due to the Coriolis effect. The Coriolis effect describes the apparent deflection (curving) of an object traveling in a straight line.
 | Caused by the rotation of Earth on its axis |
| Causes objects to curve westward (to their right Northern Hemisphere) |
| Greatest at the poles |
| Greater with fast moving objects - planes, rockets |
| Greater with objects traveling long distances - wind, ocean currents |
| Does not depend on the object's direction |
(zebu.uoregon.edu/~js/glossary/ coriolis_effect.gif)
The Coriolis effect turns our high pressure systems clockwise (anticyclonic) and low pressure systems counterclockwise (cyclonic).
(www.crh.noaa.gov/lmk/soo/ docu/wx_cyclone3.gif)
Friction and the Coriolis Effect
Since the Coriolis effect is greater with faster moving objects, friction has a direct effect on the deflection of the wind currents.
| The greater the friction the less the Coriolis effect deflects wind | ||
| With surface winds the Coriolis effect is affected by different surfaces as follows - water > smooth land > rough land | ||
| The Coriolis effect is greatest at high
altitudes where the wind is the greatest
|
(image.weather.com/images/maps/ aviation/jet1_720x486.jpg)