Coriolis Force

A fictitious force that occurs in rotating reference frames. It is responsible for the direction of the winds in hurricanes. It is dependent on the latitude and the speed of the moving object. In the Northern Hemisphere, air is deflected to the right of its path, while in the Southern Hemisphere, air is deflected to the left of its path. It is greatest at the poles, North and South, and almost nonexistent at the equator.

See also: Force, Inertial Force.