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 | . | The counterclockwise winds associated with northern hemisphere midlatitude cyclones play a significant role in the movement air masses, transporting warm moist air northward ahead of a low while dragging colder, drier air southward behind it. 
 Rising air in the vicinity of a low pressure center favors the development of clouds and precipitation, which is why cloudy weather (and likely precipitation) are commonly associated with an area of low pressure. 
 
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