There are several key surface features to consider when making a forecast. We will begin this discussion with the anticyclone, which is a high pressure center where the pressure has been measured to be the highest relative to its surroundings. High pressure centers often represent the centers of anticyclones. With air moving away from this region, air must sink from above to replace it. This sinking motion leads to generally fair skies and no precipitation near the high.
Winds flow clockwise around a high pressure center in the northern hemisphere.
Temperatures are dependent upon the location relative to the high. Northerly winds associated with an approaching high are likely to result in colder temperatures while southerly winds found on the backside of a high, or once a high has passed through, typically result in a warming trend. Factors to consider when forecasting day and nighttime temperatures. Effects of Cloud Cover on forecasted temperatures During the day, the earth is heated by the sun. If skies are clear, more heat reaches the earth's surface.