Trade Winds MET

The trade winds blow from the subtropical high pressures to the low pressure ITCZITCZ —Inter Tropical Convergence Zone, so they start off flowing north to south in the northern hemisphere and south to north in the southern hemisphere. On the way, Coriolis takes effect, bending the N-S wind to the right in the N hemisphere (so it is a north easterly wind) and bending the S-N wind to the left in the S hemisphere (so it is a south easterly wind.)

If the trade winds cross the equator, Coriolis starts acting "the other way", bending the NE wind to the left (so NW) and the SE wind to the right (so SW).