Why do Hurricanes, Tropical Cyclones and Typhoons all seem to be heading West to North West?

Question

then, after making landfall they head due North or South depending on which Hemisphere they are located in? Is it something to do with magnetics?

Thank you for your answers, as it will aide in my research.

Answer 1

Hi there !

Uhm, this is a difficult question.

I want to share with you this website which pertains to Hurricanes, etc.

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov

I think this website have all the answers. This site was being shared to me by one of the good member here.

:)

Answer 2

Tropical systems usually form over the tropical waters of the Oceans.  To the north of them is typically a persistent area of high pressure in the middle and upper atmosphere.  The clockwise wind flow (in the northern hemisphere) around these upper highs conduct the tropical systems in a general west to west northwest direction.  Eventually a western edge of the upper high is encountered and the steering winds will turn the tropical system  around the upper high through that weakness.  Then the tropical system will find itself in the prevailing mid-latitude flow, which in the northern hemisphere is toward the east and northeast.  Many times these weaknesses just so happen to exist near the east coast of North America, thus it is essentially by coincidence that they turn in that area as opposed to the land mass causing the turn.