Final answer:
Winds around a low-pressure center in the Northern Hemisphere, such as Virginia and Pennsylvania, will flow inward and counterclockwise due to the Coriolis force. If the center has falling pressure, it means winds are blowing towards the center. High-pressure zones would have the opposite effect, with winds blowing outward and rotating clockwise.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question is concerning the direction of wind around pressure centers over Virginia and Pennsylvania. Winds around a low-pressure center, such as in a hurricane or tropical cyclone, flow inward towards the center. Given the presence of the Coriolis force in the Northern Hemisphere, these winds are deflected to the right, resulting in a counterclockwise rotation. Conversely, wind circulation around a high-pressure zone would be outward and rotate clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere, due to the same Coriolis effect.
As barometric pressure is key in this process, a pressure center with falling pressure indicates that the winds would be blowing towards the center and rotating counterclockwise due to the low-pressure system associated with storm conditions. The strength of the winds depends on the pressure gradient, which is the difference in atmospheric pressure between two regions. A larger gradient results in stronger winds, and when these conditions are present, like in a tropical cyclone or hurricane, there is a risk of severe weather, including the formation of tornadoes.
Therefore, to determine if the winds are blowing into or out of the pressure center over Virginia and Pennsylvania, one would examine the pressure gradient and patterns on a weather map. For low-pressure systems in these states, which are in the Northern Hemisphere, one would expect winds to be blowing in toward the center, leading to counterclockwise rotation visible in cloud formation and movement. This is due to the combined effects of atmospheric pressure differences and the Coriolis force.