Which weather feature refers to a high-pressure system where winds rotate clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere?

• A. Cyclone
• B. Tropical Storm
• C. Monsoon
• D. Anticyclone

Answer: (D)

An anticyclone is a high-pressure weather feature. In the Northern Hemisphere, air descends toward the surface and then diverges outward from a central high. As it moves away from the center, the Coriolis effect deflects it to the right, producing a clockwise rotation around the high. This clockwise circulation is a hallmark of anticyclones, which also tend to bring clearer skies and more stable weather because the sinking air suppresses cloud formation. By contrast, a cyclone is a low-pressure system with air converging toward the center and rotating counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere, often bringing clouds and precipitation. Tropical storms are powerful cyclones, and monsoons describe seasonal wind reversals and rainfall patterns, not a single high-pressure center. So the described feature is an anticyclone.