# Toilets and Hurricanes S of Equator **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 28, 2004, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilets-and-hurricanes-s-of-equator/236942 "2004-03-28T18:09:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2004, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilets-and-hurricanes-s-of-equator/236942/1 "2004-03-28T18:09:13Z")
There is a really nice picture of the disputed Brazilian “hurricane” [here](http://apnews.myway.com/image/20040327/TROPICAL_WEATHER.sff_NY126_20040327230837.html?date=20040328&docid=D81J8OKO0). It looked weird at first, then I realized it was rotating the “wrong” way. Presumably this is because it is south of the equator. Is that right? ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2004, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilets-and-hurricanes-s-of-equator/236942/2 "2004-03-28T19:36:28Z")
Yep ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2004, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilets-and-hurricanes-s-of-equator/236942/3 "2004-03-28T19:40:57Z")
You also mention toliets. In case you’re curious this question has been asked about 57 million times already and (1) The coriolis effect is perfectly real and due to the earth spinning. It makes something moving in a straight line experience an (apparent) force clockwise in the northern hemisphere and anticlockwise in the southern hemisphere (or maybe the other way round) (2) This effect causes twisters. (3) But is insignificant for toilets and plugholes. ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2004, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilets-and-hurricanes-s-of-equator/236942/4 "2004-03-28T19:44:48Z")
> [@Shade](#): > > You also mention toliets. In case you’re curious this question has been asked about 57 million times already and (1) The coriolis effect is perfectly real and due to the earth spinning. It makes something moving in a straight line experience an (apparent) force clockwise in the northern hemisphere and anticlockwise in the southern hemisphere (or maybe the other way round) (2) This effect causes twisters. (3) But is insignificant for toilets and plugholes. Sorry, I should have put a smiley on that part. Even though I know it doesn’t matter, the first thing I did when I went to Australia is fill the sink/basin with water and watch it drain. I then realized I didn’t know which way it drained in the Northen Hemisphere. ---
**Author:** ![Find\_Friends](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@Find\_Friends](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Find_Friends)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2004, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilets-and-hurricanes-s-of-equator/236942/5 "2004-10-04T21:54:02Z")
> [@Shade](#): > > You also mention toliets. In case you’re curious this question has been asked about 57 million times already and (1) The coriolis effect is perfectly real and due to the earth spinning. It makes something moving in a straight line experience an (apparent) force clockwise in the northern hemisphere and anticlockwise in the southern hemisphere (or maybe the other way round) (2) This effect causes twisters. (3) But is insignificant for toilets and plugholes. The really baffling thing about toilets is that most people don’t seem to realize that the incoming water is _forced_!!! That means that the direction is forced. With basins with plugholes I hear that you can see evidence of the force – IF you are willing to wait for weeks for the water to “settle down” first! * * * True Blue Jack ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2004, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilets-and-hurricanes-s-of-equator/236942/6 "2004-10-04T22:36:47Z")
The Master speaks on [the Coriolis effect, hurricanes, and drains](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_161.html).