High Pressure Centers: also known as anticyclones

A high pressure center is where the pressure has been measured to be the highest relative to its surroundings. That means, moving in any direction away from the "High" will result in a decrease in pressure. A high pressure center also represents the center of an anticyclone and is indicated on a weather map by a blue "H".

Winds flow clockwise around a high pressure center in the northern hemisphere, while in the southern hemisphere, winds flow counterclockwise around a high.

[Image: high and low pressure center animation (53K)]
Animation by: Hall

Sinking air in the vicinity of a high pressure center suppresses the upward motions needed to support the development of clouds and precipitation. This is why fair weather is commonly associated with an area of high pressure.

variation with temps

Terms for using data resources. CD-ROM available.
Credits and Acknowledgments for WW2010.
Department of Atmospheric Sciences (DAS) at
the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

low pressure center