Coast Guard Exams
Question 722Navigation General70% to pass

A weather forecast states that the wind will commence backing. In the Northern Hemisphere, this would indicate that it will _______________.

AI Explanation
The correct answer is C) shift in a counterclockwise manner. In the Northern Hemisphere, when the wind begins to back (or shift in a counterclockwise direction), it indicates that the wind direction is changing in a counterclockwise manner. This is because in the Northern Hemisphere, the Coriolis effect causes winds to be deflected to the right, resulting in a counterclockwise shift in wind direction as the weather system moves. The other options are incorrect because A) a backing wind does not necessarily decrease in velocity, and B) and D) do not correctly describe the direction of the wind shift in the Northern Hemisphere.

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