The Atmosphere in Motion True or False 1. The ultimate driving force of wind is solar energy. The greater the pressure differences between two places, the slower the wind speed. In the Northern Hemisphere, the Coriolis effect causes the path of wind to be curved to the left. Upper air flow is often nearly parallel to the isobars.
Pressure decreases from the outer isobars toward the center in an anticyclone.
A steep pressure gradient indicates strong winds. As wind speed increases, deflection by the Coriolis effect becomes less. The pressure zone of subsiding, dry air which encircles the globe near 30 degrees latitude, north and south, is the mid-latitude high. In both hemispheres, an anticyclone is associated with divergence of the air aloft. In the Northern Hemisphere, more cyclones are generated during the warmer months when the temperature gradient is greatest.