Why do global winds curve

The trade winds begin as warm, moist air from the equator rises in the atmosphere and cooler air closer to the poles sinks. The trade winds are created by a cycle of warm, moist air rising near the equator. The air eventually cools and sinks a bit further north in the tropics. This phenomenon is called the Hadley cell. Because Earth rotates as the air is moving, the winds in the Northern Hemisphere curve to the right and air in the Southern Hemisphere curves to the left. Animals Wild Cities Morocco has 3 million stray dogs.

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Science Coronavirus Coverage U. Travel A road trip in Burgundy reveals far more than fine wine. Travel My Hometown In L. Travel The last artists crafting a Thai royal treasure. What actually happens is that global winds blow diagonally. The Coriolis effect influences wind direction around the world in this way: in the Northern Hemisphere it curves winds to the right; in the Southern Hemisphere it curves them left.

The exception is with low pressure systems. In these systems there is a balance between the Coriolis effect and the pressure gradient force and the winds flow in reverse. For example, air with a large amount of water vapor is less dense than dry air because the water molecule has less mass than either an individual nitrogen or oxygen molecule.

Also as elevation or altitude increases, air becomes less dense. In area near the equator, the sun is almost directly overhead for most of the year. Warm air rises at the equator and moves toward the poles. At the poles, the cooler air sinks and moves back toward the equator. However, it is not this simple. Global winds do not move directly from north to south or south to north because the Earth rotates.