How Does Earth's Rotation Influence Global Wind Patterns?

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SUMMARY

The Earth's rotation significantly influences global wind patterns, primarily causing winds to flow eastward due to the Coriolis effect. This phenomenon results from the rotation of the Earth on its axis, which affects the direction of wind flow across the planet. In an idealized scenario without continents, wind patterns would exhibit a more uniform circulation, demonstrating the fundamental principles of atmospheric dynamics. Understanding these concepts is crucial for sailing and weather forecasting.

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DaveC426913
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I'm taking a sailing course and reading up on weather. It's making me think.

Why do winds as a global average flow to the East? Does it have to do with the direction of rotation of the Earth? What would the wind pattern look like on an ideal planet where, say, continents didn't deflect the flow?
 
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