260 



THE WEATHER 



a path that curves to the left but passes on the right side around 

 the center. (In the southern hemisphere they curve to the right 

 but pass on the left side around the center (Fig. 185).) 



284. Cyclones. In technical meteorology any widespread 

 system of winds blowing around a center of low pressure is 

 called a "cyclone" because of the "cycle" or eddy of its winds. 

 The name "cyclone," however, is not in common use for the 



FIG. 185. A low in the southern hemisphere has a clockwise whirl. 

 (David J. Mares in Monthly Weather Review.) 



ordinary American storm. In this chapter the terms "LOW" 

 and "HIGH" are used instead of "cyclone" and "anticyclone." 

 285. Wind Shift in Elliptical Lows. Many LOWS on the 

 daily weather maps are elliptical or V-shaped. Sometimes 

 they are merely "troughs" between two areas of higher pres- 

 sure. In most of these the wind remains in a southerly 

 direction until the central line, or axis, of the trough arrives; 

 then the wind shifts rather quickly to a northerly direction 

 (Fig. 186). Note that the wind at Davenport, la., is south- 

 east, while 50 miles to westward it is from the northwest. 



