Hurricanes spin in different directions depending on the hemisphere due to the Coriolis effect, which is caused by Earth's rotation.
- In the Northern Hemisphere , hurricanes spin counterclockwise. This happens because air moving toward the low-pressure center of the hurricane is deflected to the right by the Coriolis force, causing the winds to spiral counterclockwise around the storm's center near the surface
- In the Southern Hemisphere , hurricanes spin clockwise because the Coriolis force deflects the air to the left, reversing the direction of rotation compared to the Northern Hemisphere
This spinning pattern is a result of the interaction between the pressure gradient force pulling air inward toward the hurricane's low-pressure eye and the Coriolis force deflecting that inward-moving air, creating a rotating circulation
. In summary:
Hemisphere| Hurricane Spin Direction
---|---
Northern| Counterclockwise
Southern| Clockwise
This phenomenon is fundamentally linked to Earth's rotation and the Coriolis effect acting on large-scale air movements around low-pressure systems like hurricanes
