Question

Apply the hand-twist model of low-pressure systems to each of the storm's 12-hour positions along Track B. Assume that initially the wind at Detroit is blowing from the east. As the storm approaches, the wind shifts from the east to the ________.

a) North
b) South
c) West
d) Southeast

Answer 1

The wind in Detroit would shift from an easterly direction to the southeast as a low-pressure system approaches, due to the counterclockwise rotation and the Coriolis force in the Northern Hemisphere.

Step-by-step explanation:

As the storm approaches, the wind shifts from the east to the southeast.

The hand-twist model of low-pressure systems helps us understand how the wind direction changes as a storm moves. In the Northern Hemisphere, low-pressure systems cause air to flow inward and be deflected to the right due to the Coriolis force. This deflection results in a counterclockwise rotation around the storm system.

If you're initially experiencing easterly winds in Detroit, as the center of the low-pressure system approaches, the rotation would cause the wind direction to veer towards the southeast before shifting to the south and eventually the southwest as the system passes. The key factor in this directional change is the Coriolis effect, which also plays a significant role in the formation and rotation of weather systems like hurricanes and tropical cyclones.