Question 1 MODU03 - Ballast Control Operator

The Correct Answer is B **Why option B ("West to East") is correct:** Weather systems in the middle latitudes (approximately 30°N/S to 60°N/S) are primarily steered by the general atmospheric circulation known as the Westerlies. These prevailing winds blow predominantly from west to east in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres' middle latitudes. Consequently, high- and low-pressure systems, including frontal systems and mid-latitude cyclones, generally track across the continents and oceans following this west-to-east path. This movement is also influenced by the path of the Jet Streams, which are strong, high-altitude winds that generally flow from west to east. **Why the other options are incorrect:** * **A) North to South:** While localized cold fronts can occasionally move briefly from north to south (especially during cold air outbreaks), this is not the general direction of overall weather *systems* across the middle latitudes. The planetary-scale flow is not predominantly meridional (north-south). * **C) East to West:** This direction describes the movement of trade winds, which dominate the tropical latitudes (near the equator), not the middle latitudes. Tropical weather systems (like hurricanes/typhoons in their initial stages) often track east to west, but middle-latitude systems move in the opposite direction. * **D) Southeast to Northwest:** This direction is not representative of the prevailing atmospheric flow in the middle latitudes. While specific weather features might briefly move in this manner, it contradicts the dominant steering influence of the Westerlies.