Coriolis effect
The Coriolis effect or force describes how objects not firmly connected to the ground deflect as they travel long distances around the Earth. In particular patterns in the direction of air within cells caused by the spinning of the earth.
The surface of the earth rotates faster at the equator, further from the axis than it does at the poles nearer the axis. So in 24-hours areas at the equator shift at nearly 1,000 miles an hour, whilst nearer the poles, the rotation speed is a mere 0.00005 miles an hour. This means there is in effect a greater deflection of objects not touching the earths surface at the equator than at the poles, which impacts most of the weather patterns in the earths atmosphere.
Such patterns are also impacted by jet streams which are narrow bands of strong winds that occur in the upper levels of the atmosphere and follow the boundaries between hot and cold air. These stream winds blow from west to east but also shift between the north and south.
[edit] External Links
https://earth.nullschool.net/#current/wind/surface/level/orthographic=-348.38,27.01,285
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- Atmosphere
- Atmospheric pressure.
- Adaptability.
- Adaptation.
- Alternative futures for heritage.
- Biosphere.
- Business resilience.
- Changing lifestyles.
- Buildings that help rebuild lives and communities.
- Design Summer Year (DSY)
- Design flexibility.
- Designing resilient cities: a guide to good practice (EP 103).
- Earthquake Design Practice for Buildings.
- Environmental plan.
- Environmental policy.
- Flood level.
- Hydrosphere.
- Hurricane design considerations.
- Horizon scanning.
- Interferometric synthetic aperture radar InSAR.
- Lunar architecture.
- Lithosphere.
- Managing and responding to disaster.
- Resilience.
- Risk assessment.
- Space architecture.
- Sustainability.
- Two steps towards a more resilient world.
Featured articles and news
ECA, JIB and JTL back Fabian Society call to invest in skills for a stronger built environment workforce.
Women's Contributions to the Built Environment.
Calls for the delayed Circular Economy Strategy
Over 50 leading businesses, trade associations and professional bodies, including CIAT, and UKGBC sign open letter.
The future workforce: culture change and skill
Under the spotlight at UK Construction Week London.
A landmark moment for postmodern heritage.
A safe energy transition – ECA launches a new Charter
Practical policy actions to speed up low carbon adoption while maintaining installation safety and competency.
Frank Duffy: Researcher and Practitioner
Reflections on achievements and relevance to the wider research and practice communities.
The 2026 Compliance Landscape: Fire doors
Why 'Business as Usual' is a Liability.
Cutting construction carbon footprint by caring for soil
Is construction neglecting one of the planet’s most powerful carbon stores and one of our greatest natural climate allies.
ARCHITECTURE: How's it progressing?
Archiblogger posing questions of a historical and contextual nature.
The roofscape of Hampstead Garden Suburb
Residents, architects and roofers need to understand detailing.
Homes, landlords. tenants and the new housing standards
What will it all mean?
The Architectural Technology podcast: Where it's AT
Catch-up on the latest episodes.
Edmundson Apprentice of the Year award 2026
Entries now open for this Electrical Contractors' Association award.
Traditional blue-grey slate from one of the oldest and largest UK slate quarries down in Cornwall.
There are plenty of sources with the potential to be redeveloped.