Infographic: What is an anticyclone?

What is an anticyclone?

An anti-cyclone—also known as a high pressure area—is a large atmospheric circulation system with the wind flowing clockwise around it in the Northern Hemisphere, and counter-clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere. Anticyclones form from air masses cooling more than their surroundings, which causes the air to contract slightly making the air more dense. Since dense air weighs more, the weight of the atmosphere overlying a location increases, causing increased surface air pressure.