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SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/sport-low-pressure-rotation

In the Northern Hemisphere, which way does wind rotate around a low-pressure system?

Counterclockwise around a low, clockwise around a high.

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  1. Counterclockwise ✔
  2. Clockwise
  3. Straight in toward the center

Why: Wind around a high-pressure system rotates clockwise, while wind around a low rotates counterclockwise. Pilots can use that pattern to picture the wind on weather charts.

Huh, didn't know that: The Coriolis force deflects air to the right in the Northern Hemisphere.

The dad joke
A low-pressure area turns counterclockwise because it likes to go against the grain.
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References

Answer: Counterclockwise. Wind around a high-pressure system rotates clockwise, while wind around a low rotates counterclockwise. Pilots can use that pattern to picture the wind on weather charts.

  1. FAA Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, Chapter 12 www.faa.gov/sites/faa.gov/files/14_phak_ch12.pdf
    low-pressure winds rotate counter-clockwise
    Checked 2026-10-11.
  2. FAA Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, Chapter 12 www.faa.gov/sites/faa.gov/files/14_phak_ch12.pdf
    deflects air to the right in the Northern
    Checked 2026-10-11.

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