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Much of the midlatitude severe weather in the Northern Hemisphere occurs via cyclones: air masses rotating _________________________________.

A. clockwise about a high-pressure core
B. counterclockwise about a high-pressure core
C. clockwise about a low-pressure core
D. counterclockwise about a low-pressure core
E. None of these are correct.

User Mhnagaoka
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

Midlatitude severe weather in the Northern Hemisphere, including cyclones, rotates counterclockwise around a low-pressure core due to the Coriolis force.

Step-by-step explanation:

Much of the midlatitude severe weather in the Northern Hemisphere occurs via cyclones: air masses rotating counterclockwise about a low-pressure core. The Coriolis force, caused by the Earth's rotation, is responsible for this direction of rotation in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere, the Coriolis effect leads to a clockwise rotation of cyclones around a low-pressure core.

Terms like hurricane, typhoon, and tropical storm are specific to regions but represent similar storm systems with strong winds and heavy rains, all of which are affected by the Coriolis force. Low-pressure systems are associated with rising air, which cools and forms clouds, enabling us to observe these patterns from space.

User Roger Wang
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