🔍 Key Concepts

• Seasonal wind patterns along the U.S. Gulf Coast in winter (effects of cold fronts and high-pressure systems over the continent) • Difference between northern quadrant winds (N, NE, NW) and southern quadrant winds (S, SE, SW) in winter • How frontal passages (cold fronts moving off the continent into the Gulf) affect prevailing wind direction

💭 Think About

• Think about what typically happens right after a winter cold front passes from the U.S. mainland out over the Gulf Coast—what wind direction usually follows? • In mid-winter, is the Gulf Coast more often under the influence of warm, moist air from the south, or cold, dry air moving off the continent from the north? • Which quadrant (northern vs. southern) would you expect to dominate the wind statistics during the peak frontal season?

✅ Before You Answer

• Be clear on what "mid-winter" means for Gulf weather (strongest frontal activity, continental air masses). • Ask yourself whether northerly (north quadrant) or southerly (south quadrant) flow is more common immediately behind frequent winter cold fronts. • Check which option best reflects a statistical predominance (percent of the time from a given quadrant), not just an occasional event.