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Originally Posted by Electrophil
But that brings up another question. If the earth spins basically from west toward the east, why do storm systems and clouds basically travel from west toward east? Looks like the earth would spin and the clouds would be stationary above the earth, and appear to travel from east toward west.
I need beer.
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The air heats up at the equator, rises, cools, travels towards the poles. The rotational speed of the air, at the equator, is maintained as it moves towards the poles. Because of the smaller diameter of the circle, it is traveling in, it travels faster than the earth.
Just like the skater that pulls their arms in to spin faster.
Harvey.
