Which statement about high-pressure systems is true?

• A. Winds flow toward the center of the system and clockwise
• B. Atmospheric pressure at the surface is greater than the surrounding environment; winds blow outward and clockwise; good weather
• C. The system is always accompanied by fog in all conditions
• D. The center is a region of extremely low pressure

Answer: (B)

High-pressure systems are anticyclones where the surface pressure is higher than the surrounding air. Air at the center tends to sink, suppressing convection, and then spreads outward at the surface. In the Northern Hemisphere, this outward flow is deflected by the Coriolis effect into a clockwise rotation. The result is winds blowing away from the center and circulating clockwise, which is associated with relatively stable, clear weather. That’s why the statement describing higher surface pressure, outward clockwise winds, and good weather is true. The other ideas—winds converging toward the center, fog being guaranteed, or the center being a region of very low pressure—do not fit the behavior of a high-pressure system.