Expert: Donald Rosenfeld - 10/28/2009

Question
I need a seventh grade answer:
Why is the majority of the weather moving from west to east?
        Thank you, Jamie

Answer
Hi Jamie

In the northern hemisphere storms generally move from west to east following the jet stream. However there are exceptions such as hurricanes which move from east to west in the Atlantic and the Pacific. Northeasters which move from the south to north along the east coast is another exception though they follow a jet stream associated with the northeaster.

Here are some links to give you more info:

http://www.weatheranswer.com/public/Jet_Stream_by_Krista_Feierabend%20.pdf

http://virga.sfsu.edu/crws/map_info/jetstream_info.html

http://virga.sfsu.edu/crws/jetstream.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westerlies

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nor'easter

http://www.hurricaneknowledge.com/