How does pressure affect wind direction?

Question

Can you please explain this to me. My teacher has tried to explain it but I couldn't follow. I know it sometimes depends on where you live.

Answer 1

Michel Verheughe is correct. I would also like to add that the direction of the wind depends upon your location relative to the center of low pressure or high pressure.

Answer 2

In fact,the pressure difference between two places is the main cause of wind flow.It moves from the high pressure area to the low pressure area.

Within a low pressure area,the wind moves in an anti-clockwise direction and within a high pressure area,it moves in a clockwise direction (in N.H.) due to coriolis effect.

Answer 3

In the northern hemisphere, the wind turns counter-clockwise around a low pressure and clockwise around a high pressure. It is the opposite in the southern hemisphere.

If there earth was not rotating, the air would simply move from the poles to the equator on the surface, and the opposite in altitude. because the equator is always warmer than the poles.

But the earth rotation induces something called the coriolis effect. It makes, in the northern hemisphere, air masses to turn right wherever the comes from. In a high pressure where the air sinks slowly, the air moves then clockwise, moving to the right.

In a low pressure, that is deeper and where air rises from the bottom, the air is also deflected to the right but it also comes in balance with the centrifugal force and spins counter-clockwise. But this is for the air in altitude. Near the surface, it slows down because of the friction with the earth and moves more toward the center.

That's why if you look at the clouds while putting yourself with your back to the wind, and see the clouds coming from the left, it means that a low pressure is moving toward you.