The Coriolis Effect causes atmospheric and oceanic circulations to veer from linear (straight) trajectories and is due to the rotation of the Earth. The figure below shows the rotating Earth, and what would happen to a projectile that is “launched” from point P (North Pole) towards point A. As the projectile travels, the Earth rotates underneath it, and observers at any location on the Earth would claim that the projectile veered from a straight line.

From the North Pole, all directions are southward, and the projectile is seen to veer to the right (which is to west). From the...