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.

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