Remember that Earth is not still - it rotates. The movement of wind is affected by the rotation of Earth. Because of this, winds do not blow directly north or south. The Coriolis effect causes the winds to change direction.

Watch this video for an introduction to the Coriolis effect.

Because of the Coriolis effect, winds in the Northern Hemisphere curve to the right while winds in the Southern Hemisphere curve to the left. To see how the Coriolis effect changes the winds, watch this short video.

The Coriolis effect is the perceived change in the direction of the currents caused by Earth's rotation. We have to look at the direction that the wind was moving due to uneven heating. Click the boxes below to look again at the diagram of the wind direction because of uneven heating. Remember, because of the Coriolis effect, winds in the Northern Hemisphere curve to the right while winds in the Southern Hemisphere curve to the left from the direction that the wind was moving.