Which factor primarily influences the direction of wind?

The primary factor that influences the direction of wind is Earth's rotation. This phenomenon, known as the Coriolis effect, impacts how wind patterns are formed and altered as they travel across the globe. Earth rotates from west to east, causing moving air to be deflected to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere. This deflection is crucial in determining wind direction and contributes to the development of large-scale wind patterns such as trade winds and westerlies.

Other factors, such as solar radiation, human activities, and topography, can affect local wind patterns or the intensity of winds, but they do not fundamentally alter the main direction of wind flow in the way that Earth's rotation does. Solar radiation heats the Earth unevenly, creating pressure differences, and human activities can cause localized changes in airflow, while topography can lead to local wind variations, but none provides the overarching influence of Earth's rotation on global wind patterns.