Why Do Hurricanes Always Rotate Counter Clockwise?

[jasonalden]

Down here in Florida we are about to see our THIRD HURRICANE OF THE SEASON. Unbelievable is the chaos that is going on.

Anyway, just wondering what causes a hurricane to rotate counter clockwise?

Jason
SW Florida
Hurricane Charley, Hurricane Frances, & approaching Hurricane Ivan
http://thealdens.org

 

[H-bar None]

The folllowing is from the NOAA website's Hurricane Research Center.

Why do tropical cyclones' winds rotate counter-clockwise (clockwise) in the Northern (Southern) Hemisphere?

The reason is that the Earth's rotation sets up an apparent force (called the Coriolis force) that pulls the winds to the right in the Northern Hemisphere (and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere). So when a low pressure starts to form north of the equator, the surface winds will flow inward trying to fill in the low and will be deflected to the right and a counter-clockwise rotation will be initiated. The opposite (a deflection to the left and a clockwise rotation) will occur south of the equator

The question came up in Astronomy Class. The instructor emphatically stressed that Coiollis force doest affect the whirlpools that form in the sink.

 

[Nereid]

The question came up in Astronomy Class. The instructor emphatically stressed that Coiollis force doest affect the whirlpools that form in the sink.

Actually, it does. However, it's so weak that most any other, random force will be greater, so sink whirlpools don't have a tendency to be clockwise or anti-clockwise, no matter where they are.

 

[Tide]

Actually, it does. However, it's so weak that most any other, random force will be greater, so sink whirlpools don't have a tendency to be clockwise or anti-clockwise, no matter where they are.

That sounds like the definition of "does not have an effect!"


Even without the other "random forces" the effect would be so small it would not be noticeable.

 

[Nereid]

effecting an affectation?

That sounds like the definition of "does not have an effect!"


Even without the other "random forces" the effect would be so small it would not be noticeable.

Yes, I agree

[nitpick] However, H bar-None's words are: "doest affect the whirlpools that form in the sink". Affecting whirlpools is quite different - though related - to having an effect on them! [/nitpick]

 

[Rothiemurchus]

Hurricanes get some of their energy from warm moist air near the equator, and as they move away from the equator,
to conserve angular momentum (as they get closer to the Earth's spin axis),
they move faster relative to the sea and become even more devastating.

 

[Janus]

That sounds like the definition of "does not have an effect!"


Even without the other "random forces" the effect would be so small it would not be noticeable.

Actually sounds more like the definition of "does not have a measureable effect!."

 

[Tide]

Actually sounds more like the definition of "does not have a measureable effect!."

I can live with that! :-)

 

[Ivan Seeking]

A funny side note. Someone that I met once observed that many toilets made in South America are jetted the opposite direction to the good old Crane et al. toilets here in the US. I bet this has helped to perpetuate the myth about whirlpools. People have in fact seen toilets that create a reverse whirlpools in SA, as compared to NA.

 

[recon]

I had a long argument with my geography teacher over the whirlpools that form when you flush some toilets. I read from a credible source that the direction of the whirlpool depends more on the shape of the toilet bowl than the Coriolis effect.

 

[musky_ox]

Is this proper?

"Actually sounds more like the definition of 'does not have measureable effect!."'

 

[russ_watters]

I had a long argument with my geography teacher over the whirlpools that form when you flush some toilets. I read from a credible source that the direction of the whirlpool depends more on the shape of the toilet bowl than the Coriolis effect.

That's what they were saying above - in your toilet, water isn't sent in straight down, its sent in jets to create a wirlpool (to make sure water cleans the entire bowl instead of just running down the sides). The wirlpool goes in whatever direction the water jets push it - and that's a design issue. If the designer of sent the jets in the other direction, it would still work time.

 

[LURCH]

can a huricane or cyclone form on the equator? Without Coriolis, it won't organise, will it?

 

[MiGUi]

I don't think that the Coriolis Force can affect WCs whirlpool... it must be a very low effect

 

[Nenad]

yaaaa, go simpsons. The toilet in australia on the americal embasy is made to go counter clockwise just like in the states.

 

[Gonzolo]

can a huricane or cyclone form on the equator? Without Coriolis, it won't organise, will it?

Would we call this a "Hurriclone"?

On the same note, it would be interesting to see how a hurricane would cross the equator.

 

[LURCH]

I think so too. I'm betting it just gets scrambled and dissapates. Perhaps if the depression is strong enough to persist, the storm would reform rotating in the opposite duirection. Thing is, I can't think of a single case where a storm of this sort has crossed the equator. Anybody heard of one? I mean, it would seem unlikely, as the Earth's rotation would tend to draw a storm away from the equator, but it isn't impossible, is it?

 

[Gonzolo]

Maybe so, I am not sure.